Netanyahu: I’ll introduce bill to revoke citizenship of those who slander IDF abroad

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says that he will introduce two bills to punish those who slander IDF soldiers abroad.

The first bill will introduce the option of revoking their citizenship, and the second will increase the sum they can be sued for if found guilty, Netanyahu says in a video, explicitly referencing Democrats party chief Yair Golan, former military advocate-general Yifat Tomer-Yerushalmi and the filmmakers behind the recent film “NAZA.”

“Their place isn’t here,” says Netanyahu, adding that he expects all Zionist parties to support the measures.

Meanwhile, Israel is changing course in its reaction to the film “NAZA,” Channel 12 reports.

According to an internal memo obtained by the outlet, Israel has realized that the movie that accuses the IDF of intentionally endangering civilians Gaza hasn’t created much buzz abroad, and Israel’s reaction is actually fanning the flames.

“Currently, the aggressive response from Israel is causing the conversation to move from the movie itself to accusations that Israel doesn’t allow freedom of speech,” an IDF source dealing with the response tells Channel 12. “Therefore we are lowering our media profile.”

Israeli diplomats tell the outlet even before Netanyahu released his video that the Prime Minister’s Office is “igniting the internal argument around the movie for political reasons an as part of the election campaign. One hand is trying to lower the profile, while the other hand is sending the head of the Shin Bet to investigate and ministers to demand that the filmmakers have their citizenship revoked.”

“Israel is stuck between what is right for it internationally and what is right electorally for politicians,” diplomats say.