Israeli minister seeks to revoke citizenship of Gaza documentary filmmakers

Israeli minister Miki Zohar has announced intentions to revoke the citizenship of filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor following the release of their documentary, NAZA. The film features testimony from twenty-four military and security whistleblowers who allege that the Israeli military utilizes artificial intelligence to target individuals in Gaza, noting instances where hundreds of Palestinian civilians were authorized as collateral damage to eliminate a single Hamas militant. Zohar, a member of Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party, has accused the pair of high treason for their depiction of these military operations.

The documentary, which recently earned a special jury prize and a twenty-five-minute standing ovation at the Venice Film Festival, has faced harsh condemnation from various Israeli officials, including National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir. Although Israeli law has permitted the revocation of citizenship under specific circumstances since a 2022 Supreme Court ruling, such actions remain rare. The filmmakers, who previously won an Oscar for their work on West Bank settler violence, argue that their film exposes systematic methods used in the conflict.