IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir convened a special consultation Monday to address the film "NAZA" – an Israeli film critical of the military for alleged indiscriminate bombing in Gaza that won the Special Jury Prize at the Venice International Film Festival – ordering a comprehensive review of potential legal action vis-à-vis the film and those who took part in making it. The military will also investigate whether classified intelligence materials were leaked to facilitate the film's production. Denouncing the project, Zamir stated that it relies on "blood libels, a deliberate distortion of reality, and false and severe accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders."
Video: The announcement of NAZA as the winner of the Venice Film Festival
The high-level meeting included Deputy Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Tamir Yadai, Operations Directorate Chief Maj. Gen. Itzik Cohen, IDF Military Advocate General Maj. Gen. Itai Ofir, Israeli Air Force Commander Maj. Gen. Omer Tischler, Unit 8200 (the military's central signal intelligence gathering unit) Commander Brig. Gen. A., IDF Spokesperson Brig. Gen. Effie Defrin, alongside other senior officers.
During the session, Zamir framed the film as a calculated effort to undermine the legitimacy of both the military and the State of Israel. He noted that Israeli forces operate strictly within the bounds of international law and the Spirit of the IDF (the military's ethical code), spearheading efforts to mitigate harm to noncombatants.
"According to publications so far, this is not a film critiquing the IDF and is not an attempt to find the truth," Zamir said. "It is based on blood libels, a deliberate distortion of reality, and false and severe accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders."
The chief of staff elaborated, "This is a move against the State of Israel, not just against the IDF. It adopts the narratives of Israel's haters, smears our soldiers and commanders, and seeks to present the IDF as intentionally acting unlawfully. This is a dangerous attempt to deny us the legitimacy to defend ourselves against the worst of our enemies – and in doing so, materially endanger IDF soldiers and commanders."
Zamir stressed, "We will not allow IDF soldiers to become a target through lies and blood libels. We must act decisively against such an attempt, with all the tools at our disposal."
Examining legal steps
Concluding the discussion, Zamir mandated the creation of a cross-organizational task force led by the Head of the Planning Directorate. This team will partner with domestic and international experts to develop strategies for countering false allegations targeting the military and its personnel.
Furthermore, he directed the IDF Military Advocate General to explore viable legal avenues against the film and those who were involved in making the movie. This directive stems largely from the potential security risks that the dissemination of false claims poses to active-duty personnel and national security.
Simultaneously, military information security departments will launch a probe to determine if any classified operational materials were illicitly transferred and utilized during the filmmaking process.
The chief of staff also urged the launch of a comprehensive public diplomacy campaign across both national and international platforms, operating in tandem with the Foreign Ministry, the Justice Ministry, and the National Public Diplomacy Directorate. He affirmed that the military will leverage every available resource to safeguard its personnel and preserve the institution's reputation.
Earlier on Monday, the IDF Spokesperson Defrin lashed out at the movie and its directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, challenging them to screen the movie to the Israeli military so that it could provide a proper response. "The film 'NAZA' has not yet been released in full. However, based on what can be seen in the promotional material, it presents a series of serious and false allegations regarding the IDF and its personnel. The claims presented in the promotional material are inaccurate, some of which are portrayed in a distorted and misleading manner, disconnected from the reality on the ground," he wrote on X. "To enable a substantive, professional, and fact-based discussion, rather than one based on misleading portrayals, I invite the filmmakers to allow IDF representatives to view the film in full so that we can address each of the allegations it raises on its merits."
He continued, saying that "since October 7th, the IDF has worked relentlessly to defend the State of Israel and its civilians. Together with the IDF's commanders, I stand firmly behind our soldiers, commanders, and personnel, and unequivocally reject the baseless accusations directed against them. Those who have made sacrifices and have defended our country, and continue to do so, deserve our full support and protection in return."
This was his second statement on the movie, just hours after he dismantled one of the core claims in the movie that Israel supposedly deliberately targeted hundreds of Palestinians in one incident. The military stressed it had never planned or authorized any strike in the Gaza Strip with an anticipated casualty count of 500 civilians – a claim widely circulated on social media by those promoting the release. Furthermore, the IDF noted the filmmakers failed to authenticate their assertions and lack any supporting evidence. It was also made clear independent verification of the interviewees' identities or military ranks remains impossible.
