Over a Film About Gaza, Israel Moves to Strip Its Directors of Citizenship on Charges of Treason

Al-Taj News –

Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar announced his intention to move to strip directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Zor, the makers of the documentary film “Naza,” of their Israeli citizenship on charges of “treason,” following the film’s win of the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd edition of the Venice International Film Festival.

Zohar said in a statement issued Sunday that he would immediately work to revoke the directors’ citizenship, describing them as “traitors” and considering the film’s victory at the Italian festival shocking.

The Israeli minister added that the directors were harming their country in pursuit of acclaim abroad, according to his words.

The position comes following the success of “Naza,” a documentary directed by Israelis Yuval Abraham and Rachel Zor, with director Jonathan Glazer serving as executive producer.

The film was based on journalistic investigations published by the Israeli +972 Magazine, the Local Call website, and the British newspaper The Guardian between 2023 and 2025.

The film features the testimonies of 24 soldiers and officers from the Israeli military and intelligence agencies and documents what its makers describe as mechanisms for targeting Palestinians in the Gaza Strip through a system based on surveillance, artificial intelligence, and remote bombardment, shedding light on procedures for selecting targets and assessing civilian casualties accompanying the strikes.

“Proud of the Award”

Since its world premiere in the official competition of the Venice Film Festival, “Naza” has sparked widespread controversy inside Israel over the narrative it presents regarding the war on the Gaza Strip.

The film also received significant attention at the festival, with reports stating that the audience stood applauding its makers for nearly 25 consecutive minutes following the screening.

In response to the mounting criticism, director Yuval Abraham said in a video clip posted Sunday that the team was proud of the award.

Abraham stressed that the film’s real significance lies in the testimonies of the soldiers and officers who participated in it, adding that the speakers in the film chose to give their testimonies in Hebrew in order to reach the Israeli audience and encourage it to listen to what happened in Gaza.

Abraham affirmed that the film aims to spark a discussion within Israeli society about wartime practices in the Strip, calling on his critics to watch the film before passing judgment on it, and pledging to work to have it screened as widely as possible inside Israel.

“Naza” is the latest work by Abraham and Zor, who gained international prominence after co-directing the documentary “No Other Land,” which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2025.