THE STORY – In secret conversations on the rooftops of Tel Aviv at night, the systems behind Israel’s calculated mass killing of Palestinian civilians in Gaza are revealed by the people who designed and operated them.
THE CAST – N/A
THE TEAM – Yuval Abraham & Rachel Szor (Directors/Writers)
THE RUNNING TIME – 80 Minutes
There has seemingly been endless documentation about the events that are occurring within Gaza that have shocked and horrified the world. Each new effort seems to be an attempt to cry out to the world and bear witness to the destruction that’s taking place. It’s undeniable at this point to not recognize that horrors that are being played out. Yet, many will still indulge in the nuanced conversation that surrounds such heightened emotions. Which is totally fair. As much as many would want to believe there are simple answers to interpretations and answers to significant moments in time, there is a space to allow for complexities to be explored. Perspective is key, however. The voices that comment on these actions carry the most weight in regard to their proximity. Throughout “NAZA,” it’s impossible to ignore the impact behind the viewpoints being shown. It represents one of the clearest indictments of this brutal system of carnage yet, and it’s a powerful portrait that starkly puts into focus how damaging such loss of humanity can be on society.
Tensions between Israel and Palestine existed long before the horrific attacks that occurred in the former’s country on October 7, 2023. The nation’s response to such terror has been a large-scale assault on the region that has left so many traumatized by its execution. This endeavor seeks to explore this combat from the Israeli intelligence services. A series of interviews are conducted on rooftops in the country, taking place at night and shrouded in shadows in order to protect the identities of those being interviewed. Numerous anonymous intelligence officials describe in detail the process by which the government has instructed its operatives to carry out missions with the purpose of killing as many Palestinians as possible. The term “NAZA” refers to the number of innocent civilians, not directly connected to Hamas or its leadership, that are deemed to be acceptable collateral damage during air strikes. The more these officials divulge, the more it becomes clear that the goal is to wipe out as much as the population as possible, no matter how much of a threat they purport to be and how much that slaughter reveals a greater evil that is playing out on the world stage.
Yuval Abraham already presented one perspective of the conflict between the Palestinian population in Gaza and the Israeli military in “No Other Land,” a project that collaborated with filmmakers from the region to give an inside point of view of the clash of settler expansion. This time, he and co-director Rachel Szor have chosen to highlight the position that Israel has taken during this time, and it’s a haunting and disturbing aim of dehumanization. Every interview hides its subjects, on the surface to protect their identity from reprisals, but soon it almost reads as a mark of shame. They describe appalling actions that are designed for widespread massacre, such as utilizing artificial intelligence to track the phone numbers of suspected Hamas leadership that assumes other numbers associated with them are worthy of targeting. Whether or not that is true is irrelevant. Flattening Gaza is what’s most important, and listening to the soulless antics being described is inherently chilling.
There is an ideology adopted by all the participants who thoroughly believe in their duty, that the attacks three years ago created a justifiable program to desecrate the enemy. The film neither denies the violence that occurred in Israel nor seeks to downplay the violence that was committed that day. However, it aim to challenge the notion that the response to that event has been proportionally appropriate. Hearing accounts of the civilians allowed to be eliminated under the guise of a fight against terror is disturbing to hear told in such a cold and calculated fashion. The ease with which they can push aside any concerns for the level of destruction that occurs is disconcerting. But the goal is “quantity over quality,” alarmingly described by those whose stoic demeanor suggests a wrestling psychology with being complicit in such monstrosity. The complete disregard for acknowledging the populace as anything approaching a human being is a frightening observation.
Despite the harrowing events being explained, there is a danger that this format can get stale. Indeed, there are occasions when the nature of this framework starts to get repetitive, especially without a traditional narrative being followed, but the filmmaking still manages to use its shadowy lighting to create a textured look during the interview process. There are also cutaway shots around Tel Aviv, glimpsing into lit-up rooms of numerous apartments. It speaks to the compartmentalization that’s currently being demonstrated. The city operates as normal, unaware of the specific atrocities their government is inflicting. Archival footage is also shown, presenting the beginnings of the Israeli military being trained on surveillance tactics that would become a bedrock principle in the future. But there’s also a revealing moment that sees the creation of Tel Aviv, showing it being built up in the early 20th century and being transformed after it became controlled by Israel. Seeing the previous home demolished evokes the same sentiment as the current directives, ironically juxtaposed against the construction of a high rise that is happening in the modern times. The filmmaking uses precise imagery to underline the unease one should feel while hearing these stories. Though, it also recognizes how the historical context has only made these tactics become an evolution of the oppression that has been implemented since the nation’s founding.
There is only one area of insight that one wishes had more dissection. Some of the participants speak about Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s desire for more personal power. He acts with impunity in regard to his goal to completely eradicate the very notion of a Palestinian state. Discussions are had about his program that spies on any dissent against his administration. There are revelations about espionage being conducted on protestors and those with dissenting opinions, especially if they have any sympathies for those suffering in Gaza. When the International Criminal Court issues an arrest warrant for him, the orders to gather information on high ranking global officials that could be used for blackmail is an inflammatory admission that isn’t explored very much. While Netanyahu isn’t a main focal point of the story, his own activity and ideology drives the country’s response. An old interview is unearthed in which he gives his own definition of what terrorism is, and his answer so completely mirrors what he is administering himself that one has to laugh at how that lack of self-awareness has led to ghastly consequences.
There’s one moment in which Abraham is interviewing one of the many operatives in the film who is describing some gruesome event involving the execution of innocent people. Suddenly, a light goes out, and the scene is almost completely covered by night. It almost acts like a cue for the subject to have more cover and divulge his true feelings. He can’t help but compare the situation to what the Jews endured during the Holocaust. He traveled to Europe to learn that history, at a loss of how the German people would volunteer to witness such a massive eradication process. Now he understands. The final moments of “NAZA” break away from the boundaries of the interviews to see firsthand accounts of the rubble in Gaza. It’s a sobering moment that crystalizes the scope of the devastation. The accounts are the most detailed examination of these brutal practices, and it’s a completely captivating experience to hear the systematic genocide that is being committed. No doubt that even more divulgences and documentations about this conflict will be showcased in the future, but few will rattle the core of the soul quite like this one. It’s an engrossing and impactful window into horrors being perpetrated, and it is essential viewing.
