Israeli minister threatens to revoke citizenship of 'NAZA' filmmakers over Gaza documentary

Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar has threatened to seek the revocation of the Israeli citizenship of Oscar-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, accusing them of “treason against the state” following the success of their latest documentary, "NAZA", at the Venice Film Festival.

Zohar made the remarks on X yesterday, a day after "NAZA" won the Special Jury Prize at the festival. The 80-minute documentary also received a 25-minute standing ovation, reportedly setting a festival record.

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“I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for treason against the state,” Zohar wrote on X. He also accused the filmmakers of being willing to “harm their homeland” in order to receive applause from antisemites around the world.

Produced by The Guardian, "NAZA" takes its title from an acronym reportedly used by Israeli intelligence to refer to the estimated number of civilians expected to be killed in an airstrike on Gaza.

Israeli law allows citizenship to be revoked under certain circumstances, although the measure is rarely used. In 2022, the Supreme Court upheld the state’s authority to strip individuals of their nationality if they had failed to demonstrate “loyalty”, including through acts of espionage or treason. The law was expanded in 2023 to cover people convicted of “terrorism”.

The procedure requires the interior minister to submit a request for citizenship revocation, followed by approval from the justice minister and judicial validation.

The documentary features interviews with 24 Israeli military and intelligence whistleblowers, who describe AI-powered targeting systems allegedly used in Israeli bombardments of Gaza. One source claims that approval was given to kill 500 NAZA in an operation targeting a single Hamas member.

The film has drawn further criticism from other Israeli ministers, while Abraham and Szor are already known for their 2024 documentary "No Other Land", which won the Academy Award for Best Documentary Feature in 2025. The film examines Israeli settler violence and the displacement of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank.

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Documentary on Gaza killings gets 25 minute ovation at Venice Film Festival

Following the world premiere of "No Other Land" in 2024, Abraham’s family home was targeted by a rightwing mob.