Netanyahu demands investigation into soldiers in 'NAZA' documentary

Oct. 12 (UPI) -- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu of Israel on Sunday demanded criminal investigations into the two dozen anonymous Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers whose interviews constitute NAZA, a documentary examining civilian deaths caused by the Israeli offensive in Gaza.

"I demand that the chief of the General Staff, the head of the Shin Bet and the attorney general initiate a comprehensive investigation against the participants in the film NAZA and bring them to trial for serious information security offenses, criminal defamation and harm to Israel's political and security interests," Netanyahu said in a social media statement, alleging that the documentary "presents a false, misleading and biased narrative that defames the state of Israel and the IDF around the world and severely damages Israel's standing."

Naza, which premiered Sept. 10 at the Venice International Film Festival, is set at night atop Tel Aviv rooftops, where two dozen Israeli soldiers and intelligence officers including members of the elite Unite 8200 involved in operations in the Palestinian enclave of Gaza tell their stories, alleging large numbers of Palestinian civilian deaths were knowingly factored into the Israeli military's targeting decisions during its offensive against Iran-backed Hamas.

Its directors, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, received the Special Jury Prize Award at the Venice Film Festival for NAZA, which is titled after the acronym for a Hebrew military term that translate to "Collateral Damage" in English.

Though it has attracted international acclaim, the film has also drawn fierce criticism from the Israeli government and military. On Oct. 1, the Israel Defense Forces issued a lengthy rejection of the film, accusing it of relying on interviewees discussing matters beyond their knowledge, of being riddled with "major errors" and downplaying context it says was essential to assessing its conduct, among other criticisms.

"The film seeks to create the impression that the IDF acts in an inhumane manner. In reality, the only way the filmmakers can create that impression is by distorting facts, omitting essential context, ignoring previous IDF publications and explanations and adding emotional manipulation and scripted effects," the IDF said in the statement.

"The IDF has acted and continues to act humanely, even if the filmmakers have done everything they can to conceal that fact."

In a letter to Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, chief of the IDF General Staff and David Zini, director of the Israel Security Agency, also know as the Shin Bet, Netanyahu called on them to open "a comprehensive investigation" into the soldiers who participated in the film, alleging they "committed grave criminal offenses by disclosing top-secret information and creating a breach in the information security of an extremely sensitive intelligence unit."

"You are required to act urgently to identify all those involved in and appearing in the film, open a criminal investigation into offenses involving information security, criminal defamation and harm to the state's diplomatic and security interests, and bring those involved to trial," Netanyahu said.

Since the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, more than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health.