Israeli minister threatens to revoke filmmakers’ citizenship over Gaza film

What the report says

Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar said he would seek to revoke the citizenship of filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor after their documentary NAZA won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, according to Al Jazeera. Zohar denounced the film on social media as disgraceful and said its recognition was shocking. He also accused the directors of harming Israel and described their work as an act of treason.

Al Jazeera reported that the 80-minute documentary focuses on Israel’s war in Gaza and includes claims about the use of AI-assisted systems in attacks on Palestinians. The festival’s synopsis said the film examines “calculated mass killings,” while the reporting noted that some interviewees were Israeli military and intelligence personnel who spoke anonymously. The film was also said to have received a 25-minute standing ovation at its premiere in Venice.

The dispute highlights the political sensitivity surrounding films about the Gaza war and the broader debate over artistic criticism of Israel during the conflict. Abraham said he hoped the documentary would pressure Western governments to impose economic sanctions on Israel. The article does not indicate any legal action had yet been completed, only that the minister said he intended to act immediately.