Netanyahu calls for criminal investigation into authors of “NAZA” documentary: film harms Israel’s image

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has called for a full investigation and criminal prosecution of the authors of the documentary “NAZA,” accusing them of serious violations involving information security, defamation, and harm to Israel’s political and security interests.

In a post on the social network X, Netanyahu addressed the Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces, the head of Shin Bet, and the attorney general, asking them to examine the case comprehensively.

According to him, the documentary presents a false, manipulative, and biased version of events, damaging the reputation of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) internationally.

“The film presents a false, deceptive, and biased conspiracy that discredits the State of Israel and the Israel Defense Forces throughout the world and causes serious damage to Israel’s international reputation,” Netanyahu wrote. In the same statement, he also expressed his support for Israeli soldiers.

“NAZA,” directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Shor, focuses on the process through which Israel determines targets for attacks in Gaza. The film claims that the high number of civilian casualties was systematically factored into these decisions, an allegation denied by Netanyahu and the Israeli military.

The film is based on anonymous interviews with intelligence officers and soldiers, and has received an important award at the Venice Film Festival. The documentary’s title refers to an Israeli military term used to describe anticipated “collateral damage.”

Netanyahu has previously responded to criticism of the Israeli army. In mid-September, he said he would approve a law providing for the revocation of citizenship from people who, in his view, defame Israeli soldiers.

The latest request for an investigation comes at a time when the documentary has sparked intense debate about Israel’s military operations in Gaza and their consequences for the civilian population.