Israeli Cultural Figures Sign Petition Defending Controversial Documentary
Over a thousand cultural figures in Israel signed a petition defending filmmakers Rachel Shor and Yuval Abraham amid fierce controversy over their documentary "NZA".
The public and political storm surrounding the controversial documentary film "NZA" by creators Rachel Shor and Yuval Abraham is escalating. More than a thousand film, culture, and academia figures—including Shira Geffen, Shlomi Elkabetz, Nadav Lapid, and Hagai Levi—have signed a sharp petition calling for the immediate protection of freedom of expression and creation in Israel, journalist Gil Mishali reported.
In the text of the petition, the signatories warn that in recent days an unprecedented campaign of incitement has been waged against Shor and Abraham, whose "distance from incitement to bloodshed and physical threats to their lives is diminishing." Alongside the attack on Culture Minister Miki Zohar and his statements regarding the revocation of their citizenship, the drafters of the letter pointed an accusing finger specifically at media figures and industry colleagues who they claim attacked the work without even watching it, stating: "We hope the film will be screened in Israel soon."
As recalled, the film "NZA", shot on the rooftops of Tel Aviv during the war, has sparked international controversy after presenting alleged testimonies of 24 soldiers from Unit 8200 regarding the assassination policy and the use of artificial intelligence, claims that have been completely denied by the IDF. Although the director refuses to expose evidence for these claims, the signatories of the petition call for the distribution of the film in Israel as soon as possible to allow for a piercing public debate.
Recall that the harsh criticism against Yuval Abraham reached its peak only recently, when captive survivor Liri Albag uploaded a sharp and charged story to her Instagram account. Against a screenshot revealing Abraham's brief military past, Albag confronted him with the reality of October 7: "You know that even if you were only two weeks in the army and were released because of your political views, if you had fallen into Hamas captivity, from their perspective you were a soldier anyway?", she wrote, adding a chilling sentence shedding light on the horrors of captivity: "They probably would have abused you for being a soldier. And don't ask how I know that."
