Israel probing Naza film on Gaza for treason, inciting anti-Semitism

Film alleges mass ⁠civilian deaths routinely built into military decisions amid Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza.

Directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor receive the Special Jury Prize for Naza during the closing ceremony of the 83rd Venice Film Festival, Venice Lido, Italy [File: AFP]

Israeli officials have slammed a new documentary film on the military’s conduct in Gaza and called for legal action against the filmmakers and their sources.

Prime Minister Benjamin ‌Netanyahu on Monday called the documentary, Naza – which alleges that mass ⁠civilian deaths were ⁠routinely built into targeting decisions during Israel’s genocidal war on Gaza – a “shocking” film and accused it of being part of a wave of global anti-Semitic incitement.

list 1 of 4 Israeli film on Gaza receives 25-minute ovation at Venice premiere

list 2 of 4 NAZA, the Israeli film revealing new layers of the Gaza genocide

list 3 of 4 Gaza genocide documentary ‘NAZA’ wins Special Jury Prize at Venice

list 4 of 4 Israeli minister threatens to revoke filmmakers’ citizenship over Gaza film

Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir has ordered the launch of a legal probe to hunt down sources, which include members of the military and Israeli intelligence with their identities hidden. The culture minister suggested that the government could seek to press treason charges against the filmmakers and others involved.

The documentary, directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, won ⁠the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday, having received a 25-minute standing ovation when it was screened two days previously.

“It’s shocking. We are fighting global anti-Semitic incitement, and when it comes from within us it is intolerable,” Netanyahu said in a video posted on Telegram.

“And now two Israeli directors ‌portraying the [Israeli military] as war criminals receive applause at the Venice festival.”

Netanyahu’s comments followed a statement from Zamir asserting that the film constituted an attack on the state of Israel.

“Based on what has been published thus far, this is not a film offering criticism of the [military], nor is it an attempt to establish the truth. It is based on blood libels, deliberate distortions of ⁠reality, and grave, false accusations against [Israeli] soldiers and commanders,” ⁠Zamir said.

The military chief has instructed the Military Advocate General, whose legal powers are confined within the military, “to examine and advance possible legal measures concerning the film and those involved in it”.

Culture Minister Miki Zohar stated that he has asked authorities to “investigate how the materials were obtained, who is behind them, and whether in the process of obtaining or publishing them, actions were taken that amount to aiding the enemy during wartime”.

He also said he had requested the Interior Ministry to consider revoking the citizenship of the two filmmakers on account of “treason”.

The film takes its title from an ⁠Israeli military term for expected “collateral casualties” and is built around anonymous interviews with intelligence officers and soldiers involved in the war.

Those interviewed describe how targets in the Gaza Strip were selected and how many civilian casualties were factored into attacks.

“We believe that the denial of a crime is what helps it persist, and this is why it ⁠is especially important for us that Israelis watch this film; it is our country that is doing these crimes,” Abraham said in his acceptance speech at the Venice festival on Saturday.

Gaza health authorities report that more than 73,700 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel’s devastating war that has left much of the besieged enclave in ruins.

该影片声称，在以色列对加沙发动的种族灭绝战争中，大规模平民死亡是军事决策中经常被考虑在内的结果。

导演尤瓦尔·亚伯拉罕和瑞秋·索尔凭借电影《纳扎》在第83届威尼斯电影节闭幕式上获得评审团特别奖，地点：意大利威尼斯丽都岛。[图片：法新社]

以色列官员猛烈抨击了一部关于以色列军方在加沙行动的新纪录片，并呼吁对电影制作人及其消息来源采取法律行动。

以色列总理本杰明·内塔尼亚胡周一称纪录片《纳扎》是一部“令人震惊”的影片，该片声称在以色列对加沙发动的种族灭绝战争期间，大规模平民死亡被例行纳入了目标选择决策中。内塔尼亚胡指责该片是全球反犹太主义煽动浪潮的一部分。

以色列加沙题材电影（共4部）在威尼斯首映式上获得25分钟掌声（第1部）

列表 2/4：《纳扎》，这部以色列电影揭示了加沙种族灭绝的新层面

加沙种族灭绝纪录片《NAZA》荣获威尼斯电影节评审团特别奖（共4部，此为第3部）

以色列部长威胁要因加沙电影剥夺电影制作人的公民身份（共4条记录，此为第4条）

以色列军方首脑埃亚尔·扎米尔已下令展开法律调查，追查消息来源，其中包括身份保密的军方和以色列情报部门成员。文化部长暗示，政府可能会以叛国罪起诉电影制作人及其他涉案人员。

这部由以色列记者尤瓦尔·亚伯拉罕和雷切尔·索尔执导的纪录片，在周六的威尼斯电影节上荣获评审团特别奖。两天前，该片放映时曾获得长达 25 分钟的起立鼓掌。

“这太令人震惊了。我们正在打击全球范围内的反犹太主义煽动，而当这种煽动来自我们内部时，这是不可容忍的。”内塔尼亚胡在 Telegram 上发布的一段视频中说道。

“现在，两位将以色列军方描绘成战争罪犯的以色列导演在威尼斯电影节上赢得了掌声。”

内塔尼亚胡发表上述评论之前，扎米尔曾发表声明称，这部电影是对以色列国的攻击。

扎米尔说：“根据目前已公布的内容，这部电影既不是对（军方）的批评，也不是试图还原真相。它建立在血腥诽谤、蓄意歪曲事实以及对（以色列）士兵和指挥官的严重虚假指控之上。”

军方首脑已指示军事检控官（其法律权力仅限于军方）“审查并推进与该电影及其相关人员有关的法律措施”。

文化部长米基·佐哈尔表示，他已要求有关部门“调查这些材料是如何获得的，幕后黑手是谁，以及在获取或发布这些材料的过程中，是否采取了相当于在战时援助敌人的行为”。

他还表示，他已请求内政部考虑以“叛国罪”为由剥夺这两名电影制作人的公民身份。

这部电影的片名取自以色列军方对预期“附带伤亡”的称呼，影片围绕着对参与战争的情报官员和士兵的匿名采访展开。

受访者描述了加沙地带袭击目标的选择方式，以及袭击中考虑了多少平民伤亡。

“我们认为否认犯罪行为只会助长犯罪行为的持续，因此，以色列人观看这部电影对我们来说尤为重要；正是我们国家犯下了这些罪行，”亚伯拉罕在周六威尼斯电影节的获奖感言中说道。

加沙卫生部门报告称，在以色列发动的毁灭性战争中，已有超过 73700 名巴勒斯坦人丧生，其中大部分是平民。这场战争使被围困的加沙地带大部分地区沦为废墟。