From Variety · Jack Dunn · · 1m 20s
Israel's culture minister moves against 'NAZA' directors
A documentary premiere in Venice turns into a citizenship fight back home.
In brief
A documentary premiere in Venice turns into a citizenship fight back home. A sitting Israeli minister is treating a documentary as an act of betrayal, and wants the filmmakers stripped of citizenship for it. Originally reported by Variety.
A minister takes aim
Israel's Minister of Culture Miki Zohar threatened to revoke the Israeli citizenship of the two directors behind the documentary "NAZA".
The filmmakers named
Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor co-directed the film. Both are Israeli citizens, and both are now the target of the threat.
Called shocking, called betrayal
Zohar described the documentary as "shocking" and accused its makers of betraying the state rather than criticizing it.
The accusation in his words
In a public post, Zohar said the directors were harming their own country to win praise abroad.
“The self-loathing that burns in the creators, who are willing to harm their homeland just to get applause from antisemites around the world”
He says he will act now
Zohar did not frame it as a suggestion. He said that as Minister of Culture he would move immediately to strip the two of their citizenship.
“I will act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators for betraying the state.”
Why this one matters
A government minister is proposing to use citizenship itself as a penalty for a film. That turns a review into a question about who gets to stay a citizen.
In short
A sitting Israeli minister is treating a documentary as an act of betrayal, and wants the filmmakers stripped of citizenship for it.
