From the Liveblog of
Tuesday, September 15, 2026
Israeli journalists’ union ‘shocked’ at violent threats against ‘NAZA’ filmmakers
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The Union of Journalists in Israel condemns the threats of violence against Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the Israeli directors of the documentary ‘NAZA,’ which alleges that Israel killed civilians in Gaza with AI-powered strikes.
The film is not in wide release, so few Israelis have seen it, but it won a prize at the Venice Film Festival earlier this week. Afterward, Culture Minister Miki Zohar urged that their citizenship be revoked, the IDF floated legal proceedings against them, and they have faced widespread outcry in Israel, including accusations of treason.
The IDF has denied claims made in the film’s promotional materials and has requested a full screening.
The journalists’ union, in its statement, says freedom of expression is critical to the functioning of democracy.
“The Union of Journalists joins creative organizations in expressing shock at the violent reactions and the threats faced by the creators of the ‘NAZA’ film,” the statement says. “Freedom of expression is meant particularly to allow a discussion of opinions, positions and statements that challenge the discourse and various institutions.”
It continues, “Without freedom of expression there is no democracy, and without democracy the State of Israel will not survive.”
Abraham, in an interview last night on Channel 13, defended the documentary as a work of journalism and said its claims had been verified. He conveyed fear about the possibility of returning to Israel.
The statement from the journalists’ union comes a day after a graffiti artist called Abraham and Szor “traitors” in a mural on a wall in Ashdod.
The Times of Israel Community.