Israeli culture minister threatens to strip citizenship of NAZA documentary directors

What happened

Culture Minister Miki Zohar posted on X on 14 September 2026 that he will move to revoke the Israeli citizenship of documentary makers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. The threat came just hours after their 80‑minute film NAZA received the special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival and was greeted with a 25‑minute standing ovation – a record for the event.

Who made the film

Abraham and Szor, the directors of the Oscar‑winning 2025 documentary No Other Land, turned their cameras on Israel’s use of AI‑driven targeting systems in Gaza. The film interviews 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence whistle‑blowers who describe an algorithm called “Lavender” that allegedly helps decide which Palestinians are killed. One interviewee, speaking on condition of anonymity, claimed approval had been given to kill 500 "NAZA" civilians to eliminate a single Hamas operative – a statement the filmmakers have not independently verified.

Government response

Zohar wrote, “I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state.” He called the film “vile” and said it harms the homeland to garner applause from “antisemites around the world.”

Far‑right National Security Minister Itamar Ben‑Gvir added on X, “You are a disgrace and an embarrassment to the entire people of Israel. Go away!”

Chief of the General Staff Eyal Zamir said the documentary is “based on blood libels, deliberate distortions of reality and grave, false accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders,” and announced that military lawyers are reviewing “possible legal measures concerning the film and those involved in it.”

Former defence minister Avigdor Lieberman called the directors “haters of Israel,” while former prime minister Naftali Bennett labelled the work a “horrific blood libel against our sons and daughters.”

Legal background

Israel’s Law of Return allows the interior minister to propose revoking citizenship, but the justice minister must approve the request and a court must ratify it. In 2022 the Supreme Court confirmed that the state may strip nationality for acts such as espionage or treason, and a 2023 amendment extended the rule to convictions for “terrorism.” The measure is rarely employed; the last publicised case involved a convicted spy.

Reactions from the cultural sector

Press‑freedom advocate Anat Saragusti (Union of Journalists in Israel) warned that the move threatens democratic discourse, noting that mainstream Hebrew media has largely omitted civilian casualties in Gaza. Left‑wing politician Yousef Jabareen praised the directors for bringing “horrific crimes” to a global audience.

What’s at stake

If Zohar’s request proceeds, it would be the first time a cultural work has triggered a citizenship‑revocation attempt in Israel. Critics argue the action contravenes international norms on free expression, while supporters claim the directors have betrayed national security. The legal process could take months, during which the documentary will continue to be screened worldwide, potentially shaping public opinion on the Gaza conflict.

Numbers and context

• The Gaza health ministry estimates more than 73,000 Palestinian deaths since the war began in October 2023.
• The Hamas attack on 7 October 2023 killed 1,221 Israelis, according to official Israeli figures.
• NAZA runs 80 minutes and was judged a “calculated mass‑killing” documentary by the Venice festival’s official synopsis.
• No Other Land won an Oscar in 2025 for its depiction of Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.

The controversy is unlikely to settle quickly, but it has already sparked a broader conversation about the limits of state power over artistic expression in a deeply divided society.