Documentary NAZA premieres in New York amid Israeli official threats
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The award-winning film NAZA, exposing Israeli military use of AI-driven targeting in Gaza, debuted in New York while Israeli leaders threatened to revoke the directors' citizenship.
The documentary NAZA, directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, opened its North American premiere at a New York film festival on Saturday. The 80-minute film, produced with the Guardian, presents testimony from 24 anonymised Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers about AI-powered systems used to select civilian targets in Gaza.
During a post-screening Q&A, Szor said the Israeli government is actively concealing these systems, adding that the country is not open even to its own public. Abraham emphasized that the alleged crimes are ongoing and linked to both Israeli policy and foreign support.
The film, which previously won a special jury prize at the Venice festival, has drawn sharp criticism from Israeli officials. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reiterated plans to introduce legislation that could strip Abraham and Szor of their citizenship, describing the documentary as “propaganda dressed up as a documentary.” Culture Minister Miki Zohar and IDF chief of staff Eyal Zamir have also called for legal action against the filmmakers, accusing them of treason and threatening to use all available tools to protect soldiers from what they term false accusations.
Outside the Lincoln Center, a small group of protesters displayed Israeli flags and signs urging audiences to “learn the facts” about the October 7 Hamas attacks, while a truck with LED screens accused NAZA of being propaganda. More than 1,500 Israeli film professionals, dozens of human-rights groups and several international festivals have issued statements defending the directors and press-freedom advocates.
Abraham highlighted the relevance of U.S. military aid, noting that the soldiers in the film discuss actions funded by American taxpayers. He also rejected the notion that the October 7 attacks justify the civilian deaths depicted in the documentary, calling for empathy toward all victims and condemning the use of such empathy as a political weapon.