Israel probing Naza film on Gaza for treason, inciting anti-Semitism

What the report says

Israel’s leadership has opened a new political and legal fight over Naza, a documentary by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor about the military’s conduct in Gaza. According to Al Jazeera, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the film on Monday after its premiere success in Venice, where it won the Special Jury Prize and drew a lengthy standing ovation. He accused it of joining what he described as global anti-Semitic incitement.

The film centers on allegations from anonymous Israeli soldiers and intelligence personnel that civilian deaths were routinely considered in targeting decisions during Israel’s war on Gaza. Al Jazeera reports that military chief Eyal Zamir ordered a legal review aimed at identifying sources and examining possible legal steps involving the filmmakers and others linked to the project. Culture Minister Miki Zohar also said authorities should investigate how the material was obtained and whether any actions amounted to aiding an enemy in wartime.

The response has prompted talk of serious charges, including treason, although no such charges have been filed in the material provided. The documentary’s title refers to an Israeli military term for expected collateral casualties. In general background, Israeli governments have often rejected accusations of war crimes in Gaza, while critics and human rights groups argue that documentation from within the military can be important evidence in assessing battlefield decision-making. The dispute matters because it sits at the intersection of free expression, wartime security, and competing narratives over the Gaza conflict, which Gaza health authorities say has killed more than 73,700 Palestinians, most of them civilians.