UNRWA Photo by Shareef Sarhan

The documentary film NAZA (an acronym for Nezek Agavi; “collateral damage” in Hebrew), written and directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, has created a firestorm of controversy. Though few have actually seen the film, it reportedly contains interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence members who attest to the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) and automated surveillance into military targeting systems used by Israeli forces during the ongoing Gaza genocide.

They also allege government approval of operations in which thousands of Palestinian civilians were killed as “collateral damage.”

Since its premiere at Venice, where Abraham and Szor received a record 25-minute standing ovation, the filmmakers have faced an escalating campaign of official condemnation and deadly threats. Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar called for their citizenship to be revoked, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced plans for legislation targeting those who “defame” Israeli soldiers, and Israel Defence Force (IDF) Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir said the military would use “every tool at our disposal” against the film.

Far-right activists have gone further, with calls for the filmmakers to be hunted and hanged, with more threats directed at their families.

On the surface, however, it is not clear why the film and its creators have become such a target of hatred and condemnation within Israel and the broader Zionist movement. Documentation of Israel’s genocidal criminality has been readily accessible for years, mostly from Palestinian journalists on the ground in Gaza, and the use of AI in targeting civilians has been detailed by Abraham himself in April 2024.

Furthermore, Israeli soldiers have documented themselves shamelessly committing an array of war crimes. So why the thuggish wrath by Israeli leaders, then dutifully echoed by their fascist supporters? This response is akin to Pavlov blowing his whistle at his trained dogs: the whistle sounds, and the conditioned response follows.

What distinguishes NAZA........

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