IDF chief orders legal review of Venice-winning documentary NAZA
Israel's army chief has ordered a legal review of the documentary NAZA and possible action against its makers.
Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir instructed the military's top legal official on Monday, 14 September 2026, to examine legal steps against the film and those involved in it, according to The Times of Israel. He also convened senior officers to launch a probe into the production.
Zamir called the film "an attack on the State of Israel" and said it defamed the Israeli military, even as he acknowledged he had not seen the full film, reported by The Hollywood Reporter. He compared claims made in the film to "blood libels" and said the army would use "every tool at our disposal" against it. He separately ordered an investigation into the leaking of classified material used in the production.
NAZA is directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, described by The Guardian as Oscar-winning film-makers. The title is an acronym used inside the Israeli military meaning "collateral damage". The film features testimony from 24 former soldiers and military personnel who allege systematic killing of civilians in Gaza by the Israel Defense Forces.
The documentary was produced by Guardian News and Media, the company that publishes The Guardian. The publisher said the film was based on more than three years of investigative journalism and said it would robustly defend the film and its team from attacks or attempts at censorship.
NAZA premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it debuted to an ovation and then won the Grand Jury Prize, the festival's second-place award for a feature in competition. The film centres on claims about AI-assisted targeting and killing in Gaza.
The Israel Defense Forces has denied the accusations made in the film. Military spokesperson Effie Defrin said the film presents "false claims", according to The Jerusalem Post. Defrin also asked Abraham and Szor to allow army representatives to view the complete film so the military could address its claims.
The dispute has widened beyond the military. Israeli minister Miki Zohar accused the two directors of "treason against the state" and threatened to strip them of citizenship.
No legal case has been filed. The army's review will assess what action, if any, can be taken against the film-makers and others linked to the film, and into how classified material reached the production.
