Netanyahu Calls for Probe into Sources of Gaza Film NAZA

Netanyahu Calls for Investigation

Benjamin Netanyahu has demanded that the chief of general staff, the head of the Shin Bet, and the attorney general launch a comprehensive investigation into the participants of the documentary NAZA. The Prime Minister said on X that the film presents a false, misleading, and biased narrative that defames Israel and the military internationally, severely damaging the state’s standing.

Allegations in NAZA

NAZA, which won a special jury prize at the Venice International Film Festival, draws on testimony from 24 unnamed Israeli military whistleblowers. The documentary accuses the army of using AI-powered targeting systems to kill civilians in Gaza. The Israeli military has rejected the allegations, describing some assertions as absurd and contradictory, and insisting that strike selection and approval are made by human personnel only.

Political Fallout

The film’s directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, have been accused of treason, and Netanyahu and Culture Minister Miki Zohar have threatened to revoke their Israeli citizenship. In contrast, 43 Israeli rights groups defended the filmmakers and denounced the threats. The head of Israel’s National Public Diplomacy Directorate awarded a counter-film, NAZA: The Real Story, certificates of recognition for countering the original film’s claims.

Context

The documentary was released after Israel’s war in Gaza began on 7 October 2023. Since then, Israel has killed at least 74,000 Palestinians, including at least 21,000 children, according to Gaza’s Ministry of Health.