Netanyahu seeks investigation of NAZA documentary participants

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on 11 October called for Israeli authorities to investigate and prosecute participants in NAZA, a documentary about the Gaza war that features anonymous testimony from Israeli soldiers and intelligence personnel. His office said the request was directed to the army chief of staff, the Shin Bet head and the state attorney.¹⁴

Request for an inquiry

Netanyahu’s office said he had sought a thorough investigation of the people who took part in NAZA and their prosecution. The requested action concerned alleged serious information-security offences, criminal defamation and damage to Israel’s diplomatic and security interests, according to the Prime Minister’s Office.¹⁴

Netanyahu said the documentary presented a distorted account of Israel and its army. “This film tells a false, misleading and biased story that defames the State of Israel and the army around the world,” he said. ABC Australia reported that he said participants should be prosecuted for leaking sensitive material, criminal libel and harming Israeli diplomatic and security interests.¹²

The documentary’s allegations

According to The Straits Times, NAZA is built around testimony from 24 unnamed Israeli military whistleblowers. The Times of Israel described the 24 digitally masked contributors as soldiers and intelligence personnel. ABC Australia similarly reported that the film contains anonymous interviews with about two dozen soldiers and intelligence officials.¹²³

The contributors accuse the Israeli army of extensive civilian killings in Gaza, including through the use of AI-powered systems to assess targets, according to The Straits Times and ABC Australia. The Times of Israel also reported that the film contains allegations of AI-assisted targeting and preapproved limits on civilian casualties. These are allegations made in the film, not findings established in the material provided.¹²³

The Israeli army rejected NAZA’s allegations and questioned the reliability of its anonymous contributors, according to The Straits Times. ABC Australia reported that the Israeli government had released a counter-documentary intended to challenge NAZA’s account.¹²

Film and wider context

According to The Straits Times, NAZA won the festival's special jury award in Venice, where it was met with an ovation lasting 25 minutes. ABC Australia said the film drew favourable reviews upon its Venice International Film Festival debut and was set to open in selected Australian cinemas.¹²

Israel’s military campaign in Gaza began in retaliation for Hamas’s attacks of 7 October 2023, according to The Straits Times. The Gaza health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority, has reported more than 74,000 deaths during the campaign; The Straits Times said the United Nations considers the ministry’s casualty figures reliable.¹

ABC Australia said Reporters Without Borders, along with other groups, denounced the government's criticism of NAZA and the people behind it. It also reported that filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor had faced accusations of treason and threats directed at them and their families, and had not returned home to Israel.²