Israeli minister threatens citizenship action against Gaza documentary filmmakers
Culture Minister Miki Zohar accused Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor of treason after their documentary NAZA won a special jury prize at Venice.
Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar has threatened to seek the revocation of filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor’s citizenship after their documentary about Israel’s Gaza offensive won a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival.
Zohar accused the filmmakers of treason and said on X that he would act immediately to pursue citizenship revocation. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir separately called the pair “a disgrace and an embarrassment” to Israel.
NAZA, an 80-minute documentary, examines Israeli airstrikes and Palestinian civilian deaths in Gaza. It includes anonymous interviews with 24 Israeli military or intelligence personnel, including claims about alleged AI-powered targeting systems used during the offensive.
The Israeli military rejected the allegations, citing the use of anonymous testimony and saying the identities of the interviewees could not be verified. It has denied deliberately targeting civilians.
Israeli law allows citizenship revocation in certain cases of alleged disloyalty, including espionage or treason, and the Supreme Court upheld that possibility in 2022. The supplied material does not establish that a formal application has been made or that either filmmaker’s citizenship has been revoked.
The Gaza offensive began after the Hamas-led 7 October 2023 attacks. Gaza officials report more than 73,000 Palestinian deaths, including 20,000 children, figures the UN considers broadly reliable.
