Israeli embassies in UK, US promote copycat NAZA weeks after original's Venice triumph

Israeli embassies in the United States and the United Kingdom are promoting a copycat NAZA, nearly a month after the release of the original that focuses on testimony of Israelis killing Palestinians in Gaza.

In posts on X, the embassies said that "Naza: The Real Story" is "setting the record straight" and claims to offer a firsthand account from senior Israeli military commanders and intelligence officers directly involved in Israel's genocidal war on Gaza.

It said the film uses combat footage, declassified materials, captured intelligence and firsthand testimony to give context on "how the war was fought and the challenges Israeli forces faced".

The film's website names the provider as Three Musketeers Production, "a company in formation", and says a registered address and registration number will be published once the company is registered. It says the directors are deliberately not named "for their safety".

Claimed to have been filmed on the rooftops of Tel Aviv, the 49-minute documentary is available in 17 languages on its official website.

"Rooftop interviews with senior IDF [Israeli army] commanders: Hamas fighters in civilian clothes, hostages held in homes, aid and Hamas. For people about to watch this film, not a NASA picture," reads a blog entry about the film.

The website lists a release date of 20 September 2026 and says the film will also be shown in theatres.

Blog posts on the film's website, dated 18-26 September, summarise interviews it says are included in the documentary.

"One interview covers Gaza from north to south. No personal names appear on this page, and the directors are unnamed for security reasons," the website notes.

"This page summarises what the interviewee says. It reports his account and the IDF rules he describes. It does not verify them independently."

'Hang the traitors'

Directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, NAZA: A Window into Systems of Mass Killing has riled the Israeli government and far-right elements of Israeli society since its premiere and Special Jury Prize win at the Venice International Film Festival last month.

The 25-minute standing ovation for the film set a new record for any movie at a major festival, surpassing the near 24 minutes by The Voice of Hind Rajab at last year's Venice festival.

NAZA examines the AI-powered systems used in Israel's war on Gaza and allegations that high numbers of Palestinian civilian deaths were factored into military targeting decisions.

The documentary features interviews with 24 Israeli military and intelligence insiders, whose identities remained anonymous.

Israeli politicians, journalists and members of the public have attacked Szor and Abraham, accusing them of treason and calling for their citizenship to be revoked.

Last month, Culture Minister Miki Zohar called the film "despicable" and said he would "act immediately to revoke the Israeli citizenship of these despicable creators on the grounds of treason against the state".

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu joined Zohar in attacking the filmmakers, saying he would introduce two bills targeting those who "defame" the Israeli military.

Netanyahu said the first bill "would revoke the citizenship of anyone who defames soldiers", while the second would increase "twentyfold the amount in damages for which they can be sued for defamation".

"They have no place among us," Netanyahu said of those who "defame" the Israeli army.

The Israeli military's Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir has ordered legal action against Szor and Abraham with the help of the Shin Bet, according to Israeli media.

Dozens of far-right Israelis gathered outside Szor's family home on 16 September, demanding she be hanged.

The Israeli newspaper Haaretz reported that several of the protesters demanded the "death penalty for traitors".

One demonstrator said that when Szor and Abraham return to Israel, "they should be tried and go to the gallows, and the family should be expelled and the house sealed".

Many social media users dismissed the documentary as "propaganda" and an attempt to "bury the real film".

An X account named Britain United wrote: "Pathetic, that actual Naza documentary must be really exposing for you to try to SEO bury the real film online by using the same title."