“There is no place for them here”: Netanyahu wants to strip directors of the film “No Other Land” of their citizenship

“There is no place for them here”: Netanyahu wants to strip directors of the film “NAZA” of their citizenship

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he would strip the creators of the documentary film “NAZA,” which criticizes the country's military methods in Gaza, of their citizenship. He also stressed that a criminal case would soon be opened for undermining the reputation of the State of Israel and its army. Netanyahu announced this in his address on September 16.

The politician promised to take severe financial measures against those who defamed the soldiers of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF). Netanyahu stated that he would submit two draft laws for consideration. The first of them provides for the deprivation of citizenship, while the second increases the amount of compensation to be recovered from individuals accused of defamation based on a court decision. In the video message, Netanyahu directly mentioned the directors of “NAZA,” Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shor.

“There is no place for them here,” said the Israeli Prime Minister. He added that he expects support for these two draft laws.

Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar had also demanded that the directors of “NAZA,” which has not yet been released but is already widely discussed in the world, be stripped of their citizenship.

“The self-hatred of these directors, who are ready to harm their own country to win the applause of antisemites around the world, is unimaginable. This is treason against the state,” Zohar wrote on the X platform on September 13.

He said he would take immediate action to revoke the Israeli citizenship of both directors for treason.

Abraham and Shor's documentary “NAZA” won the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival on September 12. During the premiere, the film received a 25-minute standing ovation. The film begins with the major attack on Israel on October 7, 2023, by the Hamas movement, which is recognized as a terrorist organization in the European Union and the US.

The film criticizes the Israeli military's methods of warfare. Abraham interviewed 24 Israeli intelligence officers. Their voices were digitally altered, and their faces were hidden. They spoke about how targets are selected in Gaza and how civilian casualties are calculated. The IDF rejected the allegations in the film. The army criticized the film because it is based on anonymous statements of individuals.

According to the Israeli side, about 1,200 people were killed in Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023. About 250 people were taken hostage and brought to Gaza. Some of the hostages were later included in prisoner exchanges or released.

In response, Israel declared war on Hamas. During the ground operation and bombardments in the Gaza Strip, more than 73,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 174,000 people have been injured.