Following the premiere of the documentary “NAZA” at the Venice Film Festival earlier this month, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called for a new law aimed at punishing individuals who criticize Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers, suggesting that citizenship should be revoked for those who slander them.
Netanyahu’s Controversial Proposal
In a video posted to X, Netanyahu stated, “We will hit them in their pockets and also in their citizenship, because their place is not among us.” He elaborated on the necessity of increasing the damages that can be claimed in defamation suits, proposing a twentyfold increase for such cases.
A Focus on “NAZA”
Co-directed by Israeli citizens Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, “NAZA” presents a critical look at the methods behind what it describes as Israel’s systematic mass killings of Palestinian civilians in Gaza. The documentary includes interviews with 24 Israeli military intelligence officers and soldiers and has received significant recognition, winning the special jury prize at the festival and achieving a historic 24.5-minute standing ovation.
Reactions from Cultural Leaders
Netanyahu’s comments echoed sentiments expressed by Israel’s Minister of Culture Miki Zohar, who earlier condemned the filmmakers and threatened to strip Abraham and Szor of their citizenship. He called the documentary “shocking” and accused its creators of betraying the state of Israel.
Zohar’s statement included a denunciation of what he termed the “self-loathing” present in the filmmakers, asserting that their actions were aimed at gaining favor from antisemites worldwide. “As Minister of Culture, I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for betraying the state,” he wrote on X.
