Israel’s Culture Minister threatens to revoke citizenship of Oscar-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor over their new documentary NAZA
The ongoing tension between the Israeli government and independent documentary filmmakers reached a new crescendo this week following the Venice Film Festival, where the documentary NAZA received the prestigious Special Jury Prize. Miki Zohar, Israel’s Minister of Culture and Sport, publicly declared his intention to pursue the revocation of citizenship for the film’s directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, characterizing the project as an act of treason. This move marks a significant escalation in the state’s efforts to regulate the political narrative surrounding the ongoing conflict in Gaza through the lens of national arts funding and legal oversight.
The documentary NAZA, titled after the military acronym for "Non-combatant Casualty" or "Non-combatant Zone," presents a collection of testimonies from 24 former and current Israeli military officers. These subjects provide detailed, first-hand accounts of the operational protocols they claim are utilized by the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) during military engagements in the Gaza Strip. The film alleges that these protocols effectively normalize the targeting and incidental killing of civilians, framing these deaths as systematic rather than collateral.
A Chronology of Artistic Conflict
The friction between Miki Zohar and the creators of politically sensitive cinema is not a recent development, but rather the culmination of a multi-year policy shift within the Israeli cultural establishment.
In early 2023, following the success of the film The Sea—a narrative centered on the life of a Palestinian boy—at the Ophir Awards, Minister Zohar initiated a series of aggressive reforms regarding the Israeli Film Fund and other state-sponsored cultural grants. Zohar argued that public taxpayer money should not be used to finance projects that he believes "blacken the name of the IDF" or undermine the state’s security posture.
The trend continued into 2024, when the documentary No Other Land, a collaborative effort between Yuval Abraham, Basel Adra, and Hamdan Ballal, gained international acclaim. Upon its recognition during the previous awards cycle, Zohar publicly decried the film, labeling its international success a "sad moment" for global cinema. Despite the backlash, the film was never released commercially in Israel, eventually finding its way to the public via online streaming platforms.
The situation surrounding NAZA has moved beyond funding disputes into the realm of citizenship and legal standing. By framing the documentary as "vile" and "treasonous" on the social media platform X, Zohar has signaled a shift from fiscal control to individual legal retribution against artists whose work challenges state narratives.
Data and Methodology Behind the Documentary
The credibility of NAZA rests on its reliance on internal military testimony. The filmmakers claim to have secured the cooperation of 24 individuals who served in various capacities within the IDF. According to statements made by Rachel Szor, the decision to have these officers speak in Hebrew was a strategic choice intended to force a direct confrontation with the Israeli public. By bypassing English or Arabic subtitles in favor of the local language, the directors aimed to ensure that the message reached domestic audiences directly.
The film’s allegations regarding civilian casualty protocols are consistent with reports from international human rights organizations and Palestinian journalists. According to the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), more than 200 media workers have been killed in the Gaza Strip since the onset of the current conflict. Abraham referenced these statistics during his acceptance speech in Venice, arguing that the "truth" of the war has been obscured by both the silencing of local journalists and the active denial of state-aligned media and politicians.
The production of NAZA was notably independent, having received no funding from the Israeli public sector. Instead, the project was bolstered by international backing, including support from the British newspaper The Guardian. This lack of domestic funding renders Zohar’s threat to "revoke funding" moot, forcing the government to explore more severe, personal repercussions, such as the threat of citizenship revocation.
The Broader Implications for Freedom of Expression
Legal experts and civil liberties advocates have expressed concern regarding the implications of the Minister’s rhetoric. The threat to revoke citizenship—a fundamental legal status—based on the content of an artistic work creates a chilling effect that extends far beyond the film industry.
"The core of the issue is whether artistic expression that criticizes government policy or military conduct constitutes a breach of loyalty to the state," says one independent legal analyst. "In democratic systems, the protection of dissent is usually paramount, even when that dissent is deeply uncomfortable or contrary to the government’s security narrative."
Zohar’s reforms, which favor films with "commercial potential" and alignment with national values, represent a fundamental shift in how the state views its role in the arts. By actively diverting funds toward projects perceived as patriotic and away from independent or arthouse ventures that tackle sensitive political issues, the Ministry is effectively curating a state-sanctioned version of history.
International Reaction and Distribution Ambitions
The international reaction to the film’s win at Venice has been polarized. While the film festival circuit has embraced the work for its "courageous testimony," supporters of the Israeli government argue that the film provides fodder for those seeking to delegitimize the state’s right to self-defense.
Abraham has indicated that his goal is to achieve the widest possible distribution, particularly in Israel, the United States, and Germany. These countries, as primary suppliers of military aid to Israel, are considered key audiences by the filmmakers. The irony, as noted by industry observers, is that the more the Israeli government attempts to suppress the film through rhetoric and threats of legal action, the greater the global interest in its contents becomes.
The Road Ahead: Potential Legal and Political Challenges
As of now, no formal legal proceedings have been initiated to strip Abraham or Szor of their citizenship. Under Israeli law, revoking citizenship is a complex and highly restricted process, generally reserved for extreme cases such as proven espionage or verified acts of terrorism. The use of the term "treason" by a high-ranking government official carries significant weight, but translating that rhetoric into a formal legal filing against documentary filmmakers faces substantial constitutional and judicial hurdles.
The Supreme Court of Israel has historically acted as a check on executive overreach, particularly regarding freedom of speech and the rights of artists. If the government were to attempt to follow through on Zohar’s threats, it would likely precipitate a landmark legal battle that would force the judiciary to define the boundaries of artistic freedom in a time of war.
Furthermore, the international community, including bodies like the European Film Academy and various human rights watchdogs, will likely monitor the situation closely. Any move to persecute filmmakers for their work would likely result in severe diplomatic pressure and could damage Israel’s standing in the international cultural community.
Conclusion
The controversy surrounding NAZA is a microcosm of the deeper ideological divide within Israel regarding the war in Gaza. As the government continues to tighten its grip on the cultural sector, the role of independent filmmakers becomes increasingly fraught with personal and professional risk. Whether or not the government follows through on its threats, the dialogue initiated by the film—and the subsequent backlash—serves as a stark reminder of the power of cinema to provoke, confront, and hold state actors accountable, even when the political cost is at its highest. For Abraham and Szor, the journey of NAZA is only just beginning, as they prepare for a release strategy that will test the boundaries of free speech in an increasingly polarized political landscape.
