Netanyahu calls to strip citizenship of those who 'defame' Israeli army

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has proposed legislation to strip citizenship from individuals who defame the Israeli military. This announcement follows criticism of the documentary NAZA, which features soldiers testifying to the commission of war crimes in Gaza. In a video posted on social media, Netanyahu stated his intention to introduce two bills to Israel's parliament.

The first bill would revoke citizenship from anyone who defames Israeli soldiers, while the second bill would increase the amount of damages that can be sued for defamation by twentyfold. Netanyahu emphasized that these measures are necessary to ensure that those who harm the country's standing have no place among its citizens. Israeli ministers have already called for the directors of NAZA, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, to lose their citizenship over the film.

Culture Minister Miki Zohar called the documentary "despicable" and criticized its win at the Venice International Film Festival as "shocking," accusing the creators of "betrayal of the state." The film features interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence insiders who describe the use of AI-powered systems to identify targets and carry out remote bombings, often with the knowledge that many civilians would be killed.