IDF calls Venice documentary NAZA misleading ahead of US release
The Israel Defense Forces have called the documentary NAZA manipulative and misleading, in a statement reported by Variety on 2 October.
The response is the military's first detailed rebuttal to the film. The IDF said NAZA was based on substantial factual errors. It published the full text on its website on 1 October under the heading "IDF Response to the Film 'NAZA'", according to the IDF.
NAZA takes its title from the Hebrew phrase Nezek Agavi, meaning collateral damage. It is co-produced by The Guardian and directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor. All 24 contributors appear anonymously, filmed against a night-time skyline in Tel Aviv.
The film premiered at the Venice Film Festival, where it received a 24.5-minute standing ovation. It has since screened at the San Sebastián and New York film festivals. It is due to open in US theatres next week before streaming for free on The Guardian website in late November.
In broad terms, the documentary alleges that mass civilian deaths were routinely built into Israeli military targeting decisions in Gaza, as reported by Reuters in September. The IDF said the film presents a distorted and disingenuous picture of its target planning and strike process.
On specifics, the IDF rejected two central claims. It said it never planned or carried out a strike in Gaza in which 500 civilians were killed, as claimed by an anonymous contributor in the film. It also said it never used artificial intelligence to select targets to strike, saying targets are only ever planned by relevant professionals.
The IDF said it operates under binding directives that explicitly distinguish between military operatives and uninvolved citizens. It also said it did not view NAZA before its premiere. The directors did not put the film's allegations to the IDF before publication, it said.
The Guardian has defended the reporting behind the film. A spokesperson said the 24 participants include officers and soldiers involved in multiple stages of the targeting process in Gaza, including intelligence, operations and final authorisation. The credibility assessment included leaked classified documents, verification of specific strikes, corroboration via a wider pool of confidential sources, and interviews over three years with more than 100 sources familiar with IDF systems used in Gaza.
The film had already prompted strong political reaction in Israel. An Israeli minister threatened to revoke the citizenship of the filmmakers, and Israeli officials said the film could be treasonous, according to the BBC in September. The directors also faced vitriol at home during an election campaign, The Guardian reported last month.
For audiences, this means the dispute will now follow the film into release. The US theatrical opening puts it on commercial screens first. The free online release follows weeks later.
