The opening in US theatres of the documentary "NAZA", in which Israeli occupation forces insiders describe what they say was the reckless killing of civilians during the genocide in Gaza, is likely to reignite the searing debate over Washington's military backing for Israel ahead of congressional elections in November.
Israel's genocide of besieged Palestinians in Gaza has sparked global outrage, as have the billions of dollars in American military support provided by successive US administrations. The genocide has bitterly divided Democrats and some Republicans.
The film received a record 25-minute standing ovation when it debuted at the Venice Film Festival.
The backlash in Israel, which holds its own elections at the end of this month, has been equally fierce.
"NAZA", named after the Hebrew acronym for collateral damage, contends that Israeli troops used sophisticated systems — some operated by artificial intelligence — to attack and target suspected Hamas members, conducting strikes that commanders knew would kill high numbers of civilians.
Israeli occupation forces have "categorically" denied the filmmakers’ findings and threatened to track down the soldiers who spoke out.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who is being sought by International Criminal Court over war crimes and crimes against humanity, has labelled the film antisemitic, while a Cabinet minister threatened to strip the directors of their citizenship.
Yuval Abraham, one of the co-directors, voiced fears that he may not be able to return home.
Soldiers describe Israeli atrocities
Abraham and co-director Rachel Szor anticipated that the documentary would prompt controversy. Their previous award-winning production, "No Other Land", documented the plight of Palestinians facing forced displacement in the occupied West Bank, receiving critical acclaim internationally while facing severe hostility from Israeli authorities.
"NAZA" relies on a minimalist approach, avoiding archival air strike footage or conventional talking heads in favour of nocturnal interviews on Tel Aviv rooftops with whistleblowers whose identities remain concealed.
Some sketch out operational diagrams by hand.
One soldier recounts targeting starving civilians en route to food distribution points, whilst another likens automated remote strikes to playing a video game. The production team affirmed that all testimonies were rigorously vetted.
Whistleblowers detail the deployment of AI algorithms to process surveillance data across the enclave to identify targets linked to Hamas, compiling a database containing tens of thousands of individuals.
Another system designates structural and residential targets.
Insiders revealed that these automated mechanisms frequently err; in one instance, clearance was granted to attack a single Hamas member despite an estimated toll of 500 civilian casualties.
Gaza genocide
As usual Israeli military authorities defended their genocidal actions in the Palestinian enclave.
While acknowledging the integration of AI tools, officials claimed targeting decisions remain under the remit of intelligence personnel and field commanders.
Legal authorities, international jurists, and human rights bodies have accused Israel of committing genocide through indiscriminate bombardments, the wholesale destruction of civilian infrastructure, and the weaponisation of humanitarian aid.
According to health officials in Gaza, Israeli genocide have killed more than 74,000 Palestinians, with women and children constituting a majority of the victims. Some 21,000 children were killed by Israel in the genocide.
Analysts say this is an undercount and the actual death toll could reach around 200,000, as Palestinians continue to recover bodies buried under the rubble of homes while Israeli forces occupy approximately 60 percent of Gaza.
Academic findings indicate that Washington has provided in excess of $21.7 billion in military funding to Israel since October 2023.
"Much of what is being described was done with American taxpayer money," Abraham noted. "They would never have been able to carry it out without US diplomatic and military support."
Since 1946, the US has provided over $310 billion in military and economic aid to Israel, adjusted for inflation, according to the American think tank, Council on Foreign Relations.
The International Criminal Court has issued arrest warrants for Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu and his former Defence Minister Yoav Gallant for war crimes and crimes against humanity in Gaza.
Israel also faces a genocide case at the International Court of Justice for its war on the enclave.
