Netanyahu vows to revoke citizenship of “NAZA” creators

• Directed by Oscar-winners Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the NAZA documentary features whistleblowers disclaiming systemic mass killings and AI-powered targeting in Gaza.
• ‘Israeli’ Military Chief Eyal Zamir ordered a review into potential legal action against those involved, while Culture Minister Miki Zohar requested a Shin Bet investigation.

‘Israeli’ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu claimed on Wednesday that his government will introduce legislation to revoke the citizenship of individuals involved in NAZA, a documentary detailing war crimes and civilian deaths in Gaza, while also imposing severe financial penalties against them.

Netanyahu’s video statement followed the recent premiere of the documentary at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, where it won the Special Jury Prize.

The film features testimonies from ‘Israeli’ military and intelligence personnel regarding operations in the Gaza Strip.

“Regarding the film NAZA, which portrayed Israeli army officers and soldiers as war criminals, I will now introduce two bills, both government bills,” Netanyahu stated. “We will hit them in their pockets and also in their citizenship, because their place is not among us.”

The first bill aims to strip the citizenship of those who “defame Israeli army soldiers,” while the second proposed law would increase twenty-fold the maximum compensation amount that can be sought against them in civil defamation lawsuits.

Insider testimonies on Gaza operations

Directed by Oscar-winning ‘Israeli’ filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, NAZA derives its title from the military acronym used by ‘Israel’’s intelligence agency, Aman, to denote the estimated number of civilian casualties expected in an airstrike.

Filmed secretly over three years on rooftops in Tel Aviv, the production used digital alterations to obscure the visual identities and voices of participating service members.

In the documentary, military personnel recount witnessing residential shelters set on fire and individuals killed during aid distribution in Gaza.

The government’s response extends beyond Netanyahu’s legislative proposals.

‘Israeli’ army chief Eyal Zamir ordered the military prosecutor to examine possible legal measures against those behind the film, asserting that the army operates within international law.

Concurrently, Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar contacted Shin Bet chief David Zini to request an urgent investigation, according to public broadcaster KAN.

According to Palestinian health authorities, ‘Israel’’s military campaign in Gaza since October 2023 has killed more than 73,000 Palestinians and injured over 174,000 others, the majority of whom are women and children.