NAZA, the money trail, and what the film leaves out about October 7 – opinion

The film "NAZA," directed by Israelis Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, which won the Venice Special Jury Prize, accuses Israel of "calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza." The film relies on 24 anonymous Israeli military and intelligence personnel, whose identities and positions are concealed. The IDF has categorically rejected these allegations, stating it cannot verify the sources' credibility or knowledge. The article scrutinizes the funding behind the journalistic ecosystem supporting the film, noting that +972 Magazine and Local Call, which published investigations cited by the filmmakers, have received significant grants from George Soros's Open Society Foundations. While this funding does not prove direct financing for "NAZA" or falsify the journalism, the Open Society Foundations have taken public positions critical of Israel's military campaign, calling it "increasingly indiscriminate" and supporting organizations documenting alleged Israeli abuses. The author argues that the film pushes the October 7 Hamas attacks, which involved the murder of approximately 1,200 people and abduction of 250, to the margins, while focusing on Israel's response. The article concludes by urging scrutiny of the film's evidence, sources, producers, and funding, and calls for Israel to respond with truth and acknowledge Palestinian suffering without erasing the context of October 7.