Israeli minister calls to strip Gaza film directors of citizenship
Israeli Minister Seeks Citizenship Revocation for Gaza Documentary Directors
Bharatmorning.com – Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar has called for the citizenship of filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor to be revoked after their documentary “NAZA” received international recognition at the Venice Film Festival.
The 80-minute film, made by the two Israeli directors, won a special jury prize at this year’s festival. It is based on interviews with 24 Israeli military or intelligence whistleblowers who describe AI-assisted targeting systems used during Israel’s bombardment of Gaza.
Zohar described the directors’ work as an act of betrayal and said he intended to pursue the removal of their nationality. In a post on X, he accused them of seeking approval abroad at the expense of their own country.
“I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state.”
His remarks brought renewed attention to the legal and political limits surrounding citizenship revocation in Israel. Although Israeli law permits nationality to be withdrawn in certain circumstances, the measure is uncommon and requires a multi-stage process involving the interior minister, justice minister and judicial approval.
Film focuses on whistleblower accounts
“NAZA” centers on testimony from anonymous former members of Israel’s military and intelligence services. The whistleblowers discuss technological systems used to identify and select targets during the war in Gaza, where Israel’s military campaign has caused widespread civilian deaths and destruction.
Abraham said the people interviewed for the documentary presented the violence as a built-in feature of the military system rather than a series of isolated mistakes.
“The Israeli intelligence officers we spoke with talked to us about how this mass killing is systemic: not by accident, but by design, actions of murder and policies that are based on the total dehumanisation of Palestinians.”
The Israeli military has challenged the documentary’s reliance on unnamed sources. It said on Friday that the identities of the whistleblowers could not be confirmed, raising questions over the ability to independently verify the testimony presented in the film.
Anonymous testimony is often used when former officials fear professional, legal or personal consequences for speaking publicly. At the same time, it can make independent examination more difficult, particularly when allegations concern military intelligence operations that are not publicly disclosed.
Political backlash intensifies
Zohar was not the only cabinet member to attack Abraham and Szor. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir also condemned the filmmakers on X, using language that reflected the intensity of the political response.
“You are a disgrace and an embarrassment to the entire people of Israel. Go away!”
Ben-Gvir went on to suggest that Hamas would welcome the directors in Gaza.
“I am certain that your friends, that is to say our enemies Hamas in Gaza, will welcome you with open arms.”
The two directors had already become prominent figures in debates over Israeli policy in the occupied West Bank. They won an Oscar in 2025 for “No Other Land,” a film examining violence by Israeli settlers against Palestinians in the territory.
The latest dispute shows how cultural work concerning the Gaza war has become inseparable from a broader argument over dissent, national loyalty and the public portrayal of Israel abroad. Supporters of the filmmakers’ right to make such work view documentaries and whistleblower testimony as part of public scrutiny. Their critics see the films as damaging to Israel during a period of conflict and international pressure.
Citizenship law and the loyalty standard
Israel’s Supreme Court confirmed in 2022 that citizenship can be revoked where a person has demonstrated a failure of loyalty to the state. The examples considered in the legal framework include espionage and treason.
Revocation is not an automatic consequence of a minister’s public demand. The interior minister must file the request, the justice minister must give approval, and judges must validate the measure. That process means any attempt to remove Abraham and Szor’s citizenship would face legal review before taking effect.
The issue is especially sensitive because citizenship is a fundamental legal status that affects a person’s ability to live, work and participate politically in their country. Calls to withdraw it therefore carry consequences beyond criticism of a particular film or public statement.
War in Gaza remains central to the debate
The conflict began after Hamas carried out its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which killed 1,221 people in figures compiled from official Israeli records. Israel then launched a large-scale military offensive in Gaza.
More than 73,000 people have been killed in Gaza during Israel’s military campaign, the territory’s health ministry has said. The ministry operates under Hamas authority, while the United Nations has treated its casualty figures as reliable.
Those figures, along with the continuing humanitarian consequences of the war, form the backdrop to the documentary and the controversy surrounding it. “NAZA” places testimony from Israelis who say they took part in or observed the targeting process before audiences beyond Israel, creating a confrontation between the film’s allegations and the government’s response.
For Abraham and Szor, the Venice award has brought greater visibility. For Zohar and other ministers, it has become a focal point for accusations that the filmmakers have crossed from criticism into disloyalty. Whether the call for citizenship revocation develops into a formal legal effort remains uncertain, but the dispute has already sharpened divisions over war, accountability and the boundaries of artistic expression in Israel.
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