Netanyahu threatens citizenship revocation over NAZA filmmakers and Gaza documentary

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has said he will advance legislation that could revoke the citizenship of people who defame Israeli soldiers, directly naming the filmmakers behind the documentary NAZA. The film, which focuses on allegations about Israeli soldiers' killings of civilians in Gaza, won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival last week. Netanyahu's remarks add a new legal and political dimension to an already heated domestic dispute over the war in Gaza and how it is portrayed publicly.

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In a social media video on Wednesday, Netanyahu said he would push two bills, one aimed at revoking citizenship and another at sharply increasing damages in defamation cases. He said the measures were needed to address what he called the "immense damage" done to Israeli soldiers. He also said the filmmakers' place was "not with us," and cited the documentary as one of three examples in support of the proposed laws.

NAZA was directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. According to the report, the film argues that mass civilian deaths were built into Israel's target decisions in Gaza, a claim Netanyahu and the military reject. The documentary takes its title from an Israeli military term for expected "collateral casualties" and is built around anonymous interviews with intelligence officers and soldiers.

The military has also been examining possible legal action against people involved in the film, according to the report. The dispute comes during a charged political period ahead of Israel's October 27 election. Public opinion polls cited in the report suggest Netanyahu's right-wing coalition could fall short of a parliamentary majority, increasing the political stakes of the debate.

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On Tuesday, Netanyahu accused several election rivals of failing to take a hard enough line against the documentary, saying that made them unfit for office. The row therefore sits at the intersection of media freedom, wartime accountability and election campaigning. The film's reception abroad has contrasted sharply with the reaction at home.

Its Venice prize gave it international visibility, while in Israel it has drawn harsh criticism and official scrutiny. The report says the controversy has fed into a broader domestic argument over how the Gaza war is described and who is allowed to challenge the conduct of Israeli forces. That makes the proposed legislation significant not only for the filmmakers but also for wider debate over dissent and criticism during wartime.

What remains unclear is how far the proposed bills can advance and whether they would withstand legal or political challenge. The report does not say when the legislation would be introduced or what parliamentary support it might have. It is also not clear whether any formal action will be taken against the filmmakers themselves beyond the political threat.

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