‘Revoking Citizenship of Filmmakers Delusional, Dangerous’: Israeli Civil Society Backs NAZA Directors

New Delhi: Civil society organisations in Israel on Wednesday (September 16) released a statement in solidarity with Israeli film directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu launched a targeted attack against their film NAZA.

“We call on the authorities to put an end to the wave of incitement and threats of violence against them, and to refrain from any action intended to persecute them or their sources. The institutional responses to the film and the threats against its creators are reminiscent of those of authoritarian regimes,” the statement released by Israeli civil society said.

Netanyahu on Wednesday said that he would pass a law to revoke the citizenship of anyone who defames Israel's soldiers, continuing the series of threats against the Israeli directors.

“We strongly oppose the dangerous and delusional idea of revoking the citizenship of journalists and documentarists because of their work. Citizenship is not a reward bestowed by the regime or the government; it is a fundamental right belonging to each and every one of us. We also remind those who may now be afraid to speak up that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are integral to the struggle for democracy, and that dictatorship and the silencing of dissent never stop with a single victim or a single issue,” the statement said.

The statement also called for an investigation into the "total destruction" of the Gaza strip, the number of civilians killed, including tens of thousands of children, and the evidence and allegations concerning the commission of offenses and war crimes.

“Most of us, representatives of the undersigned organisations, have not yet watched NAZA. However, the subject it addresses—Israel’s policy governing the use of military firepower in Gaza—is of the utmost importance,” they said.

NAZA is an acronym for Nezek Agavi, meaning “collateral damage” in Hebrew. The film, which won the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival last week, features interviews with anonymous interviews with intelligence officers and soldiers.

“We call for the allegations to be investigated seriously and for journalists to be allowed to enter Gaza in order to conduct a rigorous examination of the truth, ensure accountability, and draw the appropriate conclusions from the findings,” it added.

The statement was signed by the following organisations.

1. Akevot Institute
2. A Land For All - Two States One Homeland
3. Academia For Equality
4. Adalah- The Legal Center For Arab Minority Rights In Israel
5. B’tselem
6. Bimkom - Planning And Human Rights
7. Black Flag In Academia
8. Breaking The Silence
9. Combatants For Peace
10. Emek Shaveh
11. Eyes On Gaza
12. Gisha - Legal Center For Freedom Of Movement
13. Ha’hofoshim
14. Hamoked - Center For The Defence Of The Individual
15. Human Rights Defenders Fund
16. Interact
17. Ir Amim
18. Kahanism - Not In Our School
19. Looking The Occupation In The Eye
20. Machsom Watch
21. Mehazkim - For Peace And Democracy
22. Mothers Against Violence
23. Israel Negev Coexistence For Civil Equality
24. Neve Shalom-Wahat Al-Salam
25. New Israel Fund
26. No Mental Health Without Democracy
27. Osot Democracy
28. Other Voice
29. Parents Against Child Detention
30. Parents Circle - Families Forum
31. Peace Now
32. Physicians For Human Rights Israel
33. Policy Working Groups
34. Psychoactive
35. Public Committee Against Torture In Israel
36. Shachaf - Release The Palestinian Abductees
37. Sikkuy-Aufoq For A Shared And Equal Society
38. Silence Is A Crime

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