Israel: Far-right activists protest outside parents’ home of Israeli film Naza director

Dozens of far-right Israeli activists protested outside the home of the parents of NAZA filmmaker Rachel Szor in Savyon, central Israel, on Wednesday evening, chanting slogans including “death penalty for traitors”, Hebrew-language media reported.

The protesters were demonstrating against the film, co-directed by Szor and Yuval Abraham, which features testimonies from Israeli officers and soldiers about alleged war crimes during Israel’s war in Gaza.

Hebrew news site Walla reported that dozens of protesters gathered outside Szor’s parents’ home in Savyon, calling for the two directors to be condemned over the film.

One protester was quoted as saying the directors “will be ashamed to walk the streets”.

Another said: “The directors of NAZA went and presented the fighters who are currently fighting as murderers before the whole world. This is an act of treason from within, and we will not forgive this.”

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The protesters also chanted slogans including “death penalty for traitors”.

Meanwhile, Israel Hayom quoted unnamed sources as saying the protest organisers and many participants were activists and members of campaign teams organised by the Jewish Power party, led by far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir.

The sources said “extremist messages were circulated on social media hours before the protest began, including explicit calls for violence”.

The protest came shortly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to introduce two laws to punish people who “defame” members of the military, in an apparent reference to NAZA and its portrayal of alleged Israeli abuses during the war in Gaza, which UN agencies and rights groups have described as genocide.

On Saturday, NAZA won the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd Venice International Film Festival in Italy. The film was directed by Israeli Oscar-winning filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor.

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