Benjamin Netanyahu Pushes for Legislation to Strip Israeli Citizenship Over Army Criticism

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has announced plans to advance new legislation aimed at revoking the citizenship of individuals who criticise Israeli soldiers. The move follows intense domestic backlash over Naza, an award-winning documentary focusing on the Gaza war.

Directed by Israeli journalists Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, the film investigates Israel's targeting strategies in Gaza, alleging that high numbers of civilian casualties were routinely anticipated during military strikes. Following the film's release, Israeli Culture Minister Miki Zohar urged that the filmmakers be stripped of their citizenship, labelling their work as treason.

In a social media video, Mr Netanyahu outlined two upcoming bills designed to protect Israeli soldiers from what he described as immense damage. The first measure seeks to revoke the citizenship of anyone defaming soldiers, while the second proposes a twentyfold increase in statutory damages for defamation lawsuits filed against critics. "We will hit them both in their pockets and in their citizenship, as their place is not with us," Mr Netanyahu stated.

The Prime Minister pointed to three specific events prompting the legislative push, including Naza, which he asserted depicted officers and soldiers as war criminals. He also highlighted comments made in 2025 by Yair Golan, the former deputy chief of the Israeli military and current leader of the Democrats party, as well as a 2024 incident involving a leaked video from a military legal officer showing the abuse of a Gaza detainee.

Earlier in the week, Mr Netanyahu condemned the creators of Naza for allegedly fueling global anti-Semitic incitement from within Israel. The documentary, which captured the Special Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival, is an 80-minute feature exploring military targeting methods in Gaza, including the use of artificial intelligence. It incorporates clandestine interviews with 24 anonymous Israeli military intelligence officers and soldiers.

In response to the documentary, Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir announced that a legal investigation has been ordered to identify the sources featured in the film.