NAZA: Netanyahu orders identification and prosecution of film's interviewees

Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu has ordered the attorney general and the head of the Shin Bet security service to identify and pursue criminal charges against soldiers and officers who appear in NAZA, an investigative documentary alleging that Israeli intelligence systems facilitated mass killing of civilians in Gaza. Directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor and produced by the Guardian, NAZA premiered at Venice, won the special jury prize and is being released in over 50 countries. Netanyahu demanded urgent action for “information security offences, criminal defamation and harming diplomatic and security interests.” The government has also accused the filmmakers of treason and threatened to strip their citizenship, while supporters have harassed the directors’ families. The IDF chief of staff called the film an attack on the state; the military advocate general noted that criminal prosecutions would require proof of security violations or disclosure of classified material, though disciplinary measures remain possible.

NAZA draws on earlier reporting by Hebrew and bilingual outlets and on leaked classified documents, claiming more than 100 interviews with sources familiar with IDF systems, including senior commanders who authorised strikes. Journalists’ organisations and international film figures have condemned the identification push as intimidation and warned that forcing source disclosure would undermine press freedom. The Israeli government has also promoted a counter film project to challenge NAZA’s findings, underscoring a deepening clash between national security claims and efforts to document alleged mass civilian casualties.