An Israeli documentary has triggered an unusually fierce political, media, and cultural backlash inside “Israel", despite not relying on footage of Gaza’s destruction or images of thousands of victims to make its case, Al Mayadeen's Israeli Affairs Department revealed.

Titled NAZA, or Collateral Damage, the film by Israeli directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor has quickly moved beyond the cinema world to become a "national security" controversy, a legal matter, a diplomatic challenge, and part of a wider internal struggle over how “Israel” portrays its war on Gaza.

The film’s impact has been such that the Israeli occupation military convened an emergency meeting attended by senior intelligence, air force, and operations commanders, as well as occupation military prosecutors. The Foreign Ministry also moved to address the fallout, while Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar called for the filmmakers’ citizenship to be revoked. A police complaint was subsequently filed to examine whether classified security information may have been disclosed during the film’s production.

The documentary, which premiered internationally on September 10, 2026, in the main competition of the 83rd Venice International Film Festival, was the only documentary competing in the main section. It later received the festival’s Special Jury Prize. Its screening was followed by nearly 25 minutes of applause, making it one of the most notable moments of this year’s festival.

The controversy surrounding NAZA has been framed by some Israeli figures as part of an “eighth front”, a battlefield beyond direct military confrontation, encompassing media, public opinion, international legitimacy, and the image of “Israel” around the world.

Source:Websites