More than 200 Israeli filmmakers have signed a petition defending the creators of “NAZA,” a documentary examining Israeli offensive in Gaza through testimony from former military and intelligence personnel, Israeli media reported Monday.
Among the signatories are prominent directors Ari Folman, Shlomi Elkabetz, Ran Tal and Michal Aviad, who said artists and journalists have a responsibility to reflect the societies in which they work.
“The central role of art and journalism is to hold a mirror up to the society in which they exist,” the petition said.
Filmmakers face backlash over Gaza documentary
The petition comes amid growing criticism and threats against directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor after “NAZA” won the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival.
Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar condemned the filmmakers’ work as an act of “treason” and said he would seek to revoke their Israeli citizenship.
However, Zohar cannot revoke citizenship unilaterally. Under Israeli law, such a measure requires a formal legal process involving the interior minister and the courts.
Produced by British newspaper The Guardian and JW Films, “NAZA” is based on interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence insiders who discuss surveillance, target selection and airstrikes in Gaza.
Film examines AI, surveillance and civilian casualties
The documentary takes its title from a Hebrew military abbreviation referring to “collateral damage” and the estimated number of civilians expected to be killed in an attack.
The interviewees describe the use of artificial intelligence and mass surveillance in identifying targets, as well as attacks they say were approved despite anticipated civilian casualties.
Abraham and Szor have said the film examines institutional policies, military orders and offensive actions rather than isolated misconduct by individual soldiers.
Israeli occupation forces have rejected the allegations and questioned the reliability of anonymous testimony from sources whose identities, ranks and areas of responsibility could not be independently verified.
Israeli forces also denied that artificial intelligence determines which targets are attacked, saying human personnel make and authorize strike decisions in line with military directives.
Abraham and Szor previously worked on the Oscar-winning documentary “No Other Land,” alongside Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal.
