Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar announced plans to revoke the citizenship of documentary filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor following their film’s recognition at a major international festival. The filmmakers’ work, titled NAZA, received the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, marking a significant moment in the film’s trajectory.
Zohar made his position known through a social media post, characterizing the documentary as objectionable and describing the festival’s decision to honor it as unexpected. The minister contended that the filmmakers had damaged Israel’s reputation in pursuit of international acclaim, specifically accusing them of appealing to audiences motivated by antisemitism. He further characterized their conduct as constituting a betrayal of their nation-state.
The 80-minute documentary examines Israel’s deployment of artificial intelligence systems in military operations within Gaza. According to the festival’s description of the work, the film focuses on what it characterizes as deliberate mass casualty incidents facilitated through technological means. The production received an extended standing ovation during its premiere screening at the festival.
The documentary draws on accounts from current and former Israeli military and intelligence personnel who participated on condition of anonymity. These sources detailed the operation of an AI monitoring system referred to as “Lavender,” which tracks communications among Palestinians in Gaza to inform targeted military operations.
Abraham has stated that he aims for the documentary to influence Western governments to implement economic measures against Israel. The minister’s threat to pursue citizenship revocation represents an escalation in official responses to the film’s international success and the perspectives it presents regarding Israeli military practices.
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