Israeli official calls for directors of “NAZA” documentary alleging use of AI in Gaza to have nationality revoked

September 14, 2026 / 6:06 AM EDT / CBS/AFP

Israel's culture minister said he would act to revoke the citizenship of the creators of the "NAZA" documentary after it won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival over the weekend.

In the documentary, Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor interview 24 people identified as Israeli military and intelligence whistleblowers who describe the purported use of AI-powered targeting systems in Gaza, which they claim was used to kill Palestinian civilians.

Israeli Minister of Culture and Sports Miki Zohar called the documentary's victory at the film festival "shocking" and accused its creators of a "betrayal of the state."

"The self-loathing that burns in the creators, who are willing to harm their homeland just to get applause from anti-semites around the world, is inconceivable," Zohar said Sunday in a post on social media, adding that he would "act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of" both filmmakers.

Although it is possible for Israel's government to strip citizens of their nationality, national law requires the country's interior minister to submit a revocation request, which then has to be approved by the justice minister before being validated by judges.

Zohar said…

Original source: https://www.cbsnews.com/entertainment/