Israeli filmmaker Yuval Abraham, co-director of the controversial anti-Israel documentary “NAZA,” said he fears he may be unable to return to the Jewish state following backlash over the film’s award at the Venice Film Festival.
In an interview with Israel’s Channel 13, Abraham said he had deleted his social-media accounts because of hostile reactions, while insisting that Israel remained his home. “I’m afraid I won’t be able to return,” he said. “I have nothing to do abroad.”
The film, co-directed with Rachel Szor and named for the Hebrew military acronym for “collateral damage,” alleges that Israel systematically targeted Palestinian civilians during the Gaza war.
Abraham said it relies on testimony from 24 Israeli soldiers and was produced in cooperation with The Guardian, whose editors he said had reviewed raw material and verified sources’ identities.
He claimed the film addresses the Hamas-led Oct. 7, 2023, massacre, but defended his decision not to include testimony from Israelis who survived Hamas captivity in Gaza. Abraham also said he would seek a screening in Israel as quickly as possible.
Israeli Culture and Sports Minister Miki Zohar was among officials criticizing the filmmakers after their Venice award, saying he would seek to revoke their Israeli citizenship.
