Tel aviv: More than 200 Israeli filmmakers have signed a petition supporting the creators of "NAZA," a documentary featuring testimony from Israeli military and intelligence personnel about the army's operations in Gaza, Israeli media reported Monday. The signatories include prominent directors such as Ari Folman, Shlomi Elkabetz, Ran Tal, and Michal Aviad, underscoring the significant support within the Israeli film community.
According to Anadolu Agency, the petition emphasizes the role of art and journalism in reflecting societal truths. It emerged in response to the increasing criticism and threats faced by the film's creators, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, following the documentary's win of the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival. Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar labeled the filmmakers' work as 'treason' and expressed intentions to seek the revocation of their Israeli citizenship. However, such an action requires a formal legal process under Israeli law, involving the interior minister and the courts.
"NAZA," produced by the British newspaper The Guardian and JW Films, is based on interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence insiders. It explores themes of surveillance, target selection, and strikes in Gaza, taking its name from a Hebrew military abbreviation for 'collateral damage,' which refers to the estimated number of civilians expected to be killed in an attack. The interviewees discuss the use of artificial intelligence and mass surveillance to identify targets, as well as attacks approved despite anticipated civilian casualties.
The filmmakers, Abraham and Szor, aim to shed light on institutional policies and operational practices rather than focusing on isolated misconduct by individual soldiers. In response, the Israeli army has rejected the film's allegations, questioning the reliability of testimony from anonymous sources whose identities, ranks, and responsibilities could not be verified. The army also denied that artificial intelligence plays a role in target selection, asserting that such decisions are made by human personnel in line with military directives.
Abraham and Szor have previously collaborated on the Academy Award-winning documentary "No Other Land" alongside Palestinian filmmakers Basel Adra and Hamdan Ballal, further highlighting their commitment to exploring complex narratives in the region.