Legal steps and leak investigation: the Chief of Staff's meeting following the film "Nezha"

The Chief of Staff, Eyal Zamir, held a special consultation following the film "Nezha" that won at the Venice Film Festival, and ordered an examination of legal steps against the film and those involved, as well as an investigation into suspicions of leaked classified materials used in its production. Zamir harshly attacked the film, calling it based on "blood libels, a deliberate distortion of reality, and false and serious accusations."

The Chief of Staff, Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir, held a special consultation today (Monday, September 14, 2026) following the film "Nezha" that won at the Venice Film Festival. The discussion was attended by the Deputy Chief of Staff, Major General Tamir Yadai, the Head of the Operations Directorate, Major General Itzik Cohen, the Military Advocate General, Major General Itai Opher, the Commander of the Air Force, Major General Omer Tishler, the Commander of Unit 8200, Brigadier General A., the IDF Spokesperson, Brigadier General Efi Defrin, and other commanders. Zamir ordered an examination of legal steps against the film and those involved, as well as an investigation into suspicions of leaked classified materials used in its production. Zamir harshly attacked the film and said it is based on "blood libels, a deliberate distortion of reality, and false and serious accusations against IDF soldiers and commanders." According to him, this is a deliberate attempt to harm the legitimacy of the IDF and the State of Israel, while adopting narratives of Israel's haters. Zamir emphasized that the IDF will act with all the tools at its disposal – legal, command, and public diplomacy. At the end of the discussion, he ordered the establishment of a multi-organizational and multi-disciplinary team led by the Head of the Planning Directorate to formulate courses of action, alongside an instruction to the Military Advocate General to advance legal actions. Concurrently, the IDF will examine information security aspects and the possibility that a leak assisted in the film's production. Zamir also called for advancing a broad national and international public diplomacy effort in cooperation with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and the Ministry of Justice.