Netanyahu plans to strip citizenship from Israelis who 'slander' IDF as Gaza documentary triggers political storm

From the Newshound archive · first published 19 September 2026.

Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has pledged to introduce two bills targeting Israelis he accuses of damaging the IDF's reputation abroad, citing the documentary 'NAZA' by filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor as the direct trigger. The film, based on anonymous testimony from 24 military and intelligence insiders, alleges that AI-assisted targeting systems were used in Gaza with civilian deaths routinely factored into strike decisions. It won the Special Jury Prize at Venice after a record 24.5-minute standing ovation, before igniting fury in Israel just weeks before October 27 elections.

One bill would revoke citizenship of those who 'defame soldiers'; the other would increase statutory defamation damages by 20 times.

Filmmakers face death threats; protesters branded them 'TRAITORS' outside a director's parents' home in Savyon, organised by a far-right ally of Ben Gvir.

'Their place is not among us,' Netanyahu said in a video posted on X as the protests gathered outside Szor's family home simultaneously.