The Israel Film Council has demanded an urgent screening of "NAZA," after the film opened in theaters across several European countries, including the Netherlands, France and Spain.
The council warned, "Hiding the film from professional bodies in Israel strengthens the suspicion that this is a fabricated film serving the enemies of Israel, first and foremost Hamas."
Following the start of screenings of "NAZA" across Europe, the Film Council has demanded an immediate screening of the film for council members and professional bodies in Israel. Dozens of protesters gathered Wednesday in Savyon, outside the home of the parents of Rachel Szor, one of the film's creators. "Police and Border Police are at the scene," sources on the scene said following the gathering outside the house.
Sources involved in organizing the protest have since revealed the identities of its leaders. "The organizers include activists and campaign staff from Otzma Yehudit, along with right-wing activists Mordechai David, Victor Sharki and Ziv Barnes," the sources reported.
It is worth noting that Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar has also asked Interior Ministry Director-General Israel Ozen to examine opening a process to revoke the Israeli citizenship of the film's creators, after the film won praise from audiences at the Venice Film Festival and even took home an award.
In his request, Zohar asked that legal and security officials examine, together, the source of the testimonies and materials on which the film is based, and whether obtaining or publishing them involved acts constituting "treason against the state" or acts "liable to assist the enemy during wartime."
"The burning self-hatred of creators willing to harm their homeland to win applause from antisemites around the world is incomprehensible, and constitutes treason against the state," the minister said, adding, "As culture minister, I will act immediately to strip these vile creators of their Israeli citizenship over treason against the state." This, it should be noted, despite the fact that he has no legal authority to do so – though, as mentioned, he is nonetheless trying to do so.
