Israeli Documentary Sparks Controversy After Venice Award

An Israeli documentary on Gaza war casualties sparks backlash after winning a Venice Film Festival prize, drawing accusations of antisemitism and calls for c...

Editorial Desk

September 15, 2026 One Min Read

POLICY WIRE — JERUSALEM, Israel — An Israeli documentary exploring the civilian death toll in the Gaza war has ignited fierce controversy at home after being honored with a special jury prize at the Venice Film Festival, prompting accusations of antisemitism and demands to revoke the filmmakers’ citizenship.

The film, titled ‘NAZA,’ features testimonies from 24 Israeli military insiders who claim that artificial intelligence is used to identify and bomb potential Hamas targets in Gaza, often resulting in civilian deaths. The Israeli military acknowledges using AI for target identification but insists that a human makes the final decision before any strike.

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Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and other officials have condemned the film as anti-Israel and antisemitic, while the military has vowed to investigate potential leaks. Despite the backlash, the filmmakers insist the testimonies are true and believe they deserve to be heard.

Reporting by Policy-Wire (PW)

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