Israel Launches 'NAZA: The Real Story' to Counter Gaza Documentary

Key points

• The Israeli government is promoting 'NAZA: The Real Story,' a 49-minute film that mimics the style of the original 'NAZA' documentary, which won a special jury prize at Venice.
• The rebuttal film was produced by Ariel Averbuch, an IDF reservist and attorney, and Roi Danino, a candidate for the right-wing Israel First party, and claims Israel has the 'most moral army in the world.'
• The website hosting the rebuttal initially falsely presented itself as a promotional page for the original 'NAZA,' listing its directors and festivals, before updating to feature the counter-film.
• The Israeli government has denounced the original 'NAZA' film, accusing its directors Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor of treason and proposing to strip them of their citizenship.
• The original 'NAZA' documentary, produced by The Guardian, features 24 interviews with Israeli military insiders and is set to be released in cinemas in over 50 countries and free on The Guardian's website in late November.

Background

The original 'NAZA' documentary premiered at the Venice Film Festival in September 2026, winning a special jury prize and receiving a record-breaking ovation. It details the Israeli military's use of AI-assisted surveillance and targeting systems in Gaza, which a UN commission has described as genocide. The film has sparked significant backlash in Israel, including threats from far-right activists and legal actions by the government. The archive notes that the film has also faced criticism for its solely Israeli perspective, lacking Palestinian voices.

How outlets are covering it

The Guardian and Variety report that the Israeli government is actively promoting the counter-documentary 'NAZA: The Real Story' to discredit the original 'NAZA' film. The Guardian highlights the deceptive tactics used, such as the website initially falsely presenting itself as a promotional page for the original film. Variety notes that the rebuttal film was produced by IDF reservists and right-wing figures, and that the Israeli embassy shared it on social media. Deadline focuses on the backlash against the original film's directors, with producer James Wilson describing the government's response as 'hysterical, vituperative, aggressive.' AP News, while not providing specific details on the rebuttal, notes that the original 'NAZA' film has rekindled the Gaza debate ahead of US elections.

Why it matters

The promotion of 'NAZA: The Real Story' by the Israeli government highlights the intense political and media battle surrounding the original 'NAZA' documentary. The counter-film's deceptive tactics and the government's threats against the original film's directors underscore the high stakes of the conflict and the efforts to control the narrative. The original film's global release and the counter-film's online presence indicate a broader struggle over the historical record of the Gaza war.

What to watch

The original 'NAZA' documentary is set to be released in cinemas in over 50 countries and free on The Guardian's website in late November. The Israeli government's threats to strip the directors of their citizenship and the far-right activists' threats to hunt them down suggest ongoing tension. The counter-film's online presence and the Israeli embassy's promotion of it indicate a continued effort to discredit the original film's findings.