Dozens of far-right Israelis gathered outside filmmaker Rachel Szor’s family home on 16 September, calling for her to be hanged over her documentary ‘NAZA’.
Szor and her co-director Yuval Abraham have faced growing backlash in Israel since the film won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival on 12 September.
According to Haaretz, some protesters called for the “death penalty for traitors”. One protester said Szor and Abraham should be tried and executed when they return to Israel, while also calling for their families to be expelled and their homes sealed.
A far-right activist linked to National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir also urged protesters to identify the filmmakers if they saw them in public.
‘NAZA’, directed by the Oscar-winning filmmakers, examines Israel’s use of AI-powered systems during the war in Gaza.
The documentary features interviews with 24 Israeli military and intelligence insiders whose identities were kept anonymous. The Israeli military has rejected the film’s allegations and questioned the verifiability of the anonymous testimonies.
The documentary has drawn criticism from Israeli politicians and other public figures. Culture Minister Miki Zohar said he would seek to revoke the filmmakers’ Israeli citizenship, accusing them of treason.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu also criticised the filmmakers and said he would introduce legislation targeting those who defame the Israeli military.
The Union of Journalists in Israel has condemned the attacks on Szor and Abraham. Meanwhile, Channel 12 journalist Amit Segal compared ‘NAZA’ with Adolf Hitler’s ‘Mein Kampf’.
The documentary received a 25-minute standing ovation at Venice before winning the Special Jury Prize.
