Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar announced plans to seek the revocation of citizenship for two filmmakers following their documentary's win at the Venice International Film Festival. The documentary, titled "NAZA," features interviews with individuals identified as Israeli military and intelligence whistleblowers who discuss the use of artificial intelligence in Gaza operations.
The move follows the film receiving the Special Jury Prize over a recent weekend. Directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor previously received an Oscar in 2025 for "No Other Land," a film documenting settler violence in the West Bank. Minister Zohar characterized the new documentary as a "betrayal of the state" and stated he would investigate how the filmmakers obtained their materials and whether their publication assisted enemies during wartime.
In the 80-minute film, 24 anonymous sources describe what they claim is the systemic use of AI-powered targeting systems to kill Palestinian civilians. Director Yuval Abraham stated during the festival that the interviews suggest mass killings are a matter of policy rather than accident. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) responded on a Friday, stating that the identities of the anonymous sources cannot be verified and denying any deliberate targeting of civilians in Palestinian territories.
For Israeli citizens, particularly those in the arts or journalism, this development signals a specific government interpretation of "breach of trust" and "cooperation with the enemy" that could impact their legal status and rights to remain in the country. A successful revocation would result in the loss of a passport, the right to vote, and access to national social services. National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir supported the move, telling the directors via social media to "Go away" and suggesting they would be welcomed by Hamas.
What happens next depends on the response from the Interior Ministry and the Population Authority. Minister Zohar stated on a Monday that he had already contacted the Director General of the Population Authority and the Director General of the Ministry of Interior to begin examining the denial of citizenship. As of the latest report, the Interior Ministry has not issued a formal response or confirmed if it will move forward with the request to the Ministry of Justice. No specific court dates or deadlines for these administrative reviews have been announced.