JERUSALEM, Sept 14 (Reuters) – Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that a new documentary alleging routine civilian deaths were incorporated into targeting decisions in Gaza forms part of a wider wave of global incitement against Jews.
“NAZA,” directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival on Saturday. It received a 25-minute standing ovation after its Thursday screening.
The film takes its title from an Israeli military term for expected “collateral casualties” and is based on anonymous interviews with intelligence officers and soldiers involved in the war.
“It’s shocking. We are fighting global antisemitic incitement, and when it comes from within us, it is intolerable,” Netanyahu said in a video posted on Telegram. “And now two Israeli directors portraying the IDF (Israel Defense Forces) as war criminals receive applause at the Venice festival.”
Netanyahu’s remarks followed a statement from Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir, who called the documentary an attack on the state of Israel.
“Based on what has been published so far, this is not a film offering criticism of the IDF, nor is it an attempt to establish the truth. It is based on blood libels, deliberate distortions of reality, and grave, false accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders,” Zamir said.
The military said Zamir had instructed the Military Advocate General—whose legal authority is limited to the military—to examine and pursue possible legal action against the film and those involved in it.
The filmmakers could not immediately be reached for comment.
“We believe that denying a crime is what helps it persist. That is why it is especially important for Israelis to watch this film, because it is our country that is committing these crimes,” Abraham said during his acceptance speech on Saturday.
Gaza health authorities say more than 73,000 Palestinians, most of them civilians, have been killed in Israel’s military campaign, which has left much of Gaza in ruins.
The war began after Hamas attacked Israel on Oct. 7, 2023, killing 1,200 people, most of them civilians.
Israel says it has made extensive efforts to avoid civilian casualties while fighting Hamas militants, whom it accuses of operating from hospitals, schools and shelters. Hamas denies using Gaza’s civilian population as human shields.