Over 40 Israeli human rights groups issued a joint statement in support of ‘NAZA’ producers and condemning calls to revoke their citizenship.
Graffiti depicting Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the directors of the documentary film NAZA, and the word “traitors” in Hebrew, on a wall in Ashdod Tuesday, September 15, 2026.(photo credit: REUTERS/AMIR COHEN)
How many Israeli filmmakers signed a petition supporting the duo?›Why are Israeli organizations rallying behind the NAZA filmmakers?›Where is the Venice Film Festival held?›What extreme punishment did Miki Zohar threaten the creators with?›
Forty-three Israeli human-rights, equality, and peace organizations issued a joint statement on Tuesday in support of NAZA filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor after a wave of threats against them.
Public backlash in Israel against the documentary’s producers was sparked after it won the Special Jury Award at the Venice Film Festival. The creators published a promo for the movie in which an anonymous IDF soldier described AI targeting software used during the Israel-Hamas War.
The statement called on Israeli authorities to cease threats and refrain from calls to revoke the filmmakers’ citizenship or legally prosecute them and their sources.
In reaction to the documentary’s award and global accolades, Culture and Sport Minister Miki Zohar (Likud) said the film was “horrifying” and an “act of treason against the state.”
He pledged to take immediate action to revoke the citizenship of NAZA’s creators.
“The institutional response to the film and the threats against its creators are characteristic of dictatorial regimes,” he wrote Sunday on X/Twitter. “Citizenship is not a prize granted by the regime or the government, but a fundamental right belonging to every one of us.”
The groups emphasized that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are integral to the struggle for democracy. They warned that persecution and attempts to silence dissent do not stop with one person or issue.
Most members representing the organizations in the petition had not seen the film, as it has yet to be fully released, the statement said, adding that the issue at the core of the discussion around NAZA demands an investigation.
‘NAZA’ has yet to be released
The petition also cited the death toll in Gaza, which the IDF estimates to be about 70,000. It called for the allegations raised in the film to be thoroughly investigated and for independent journalists to be allowed to report from Gaza.
The joint statement from the human-rights groups followed a petition signed by more than 1,000 Israeli filmmakers in solidarity with the filmmakers of NAZA amid backlash to the film’s claims.
“We filmmakers and creators call on everyone who is still fighting for freedom of expression and artistic freedom to join us in expressing support and solidarity with Rachel Szor and Yuval Abraham, the creators of the film NAZA,” the petition said.
It warned that the ongoing uproar and hostility could endanger the physical safety of the filmmakers.
“The central role of art and journalism is to hold up a mirror to the society in which they exist and to generate discourse and debate without giving anyone a pass, even when the reality is difficult,” the petition said.
Reference Link:- https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/article-908725