NAZA: the film the Israeli government does not want you to see
Summary
Israeli filmmakers Yuval Abraham and Rachel Zor discuss their documentary "NASA," which exposes the IDF's use of AI systems to target civilians in Gaza. The film reveals how algorithms like Lavender and "Where's Daddy" facilitate mass killings by treating human lives as interchangeable numbers. Abraham and Zor detail the devastating political backlash they face, including treason accusations and threats, while arguing that exposing these war crimes is a moral duty to end the conflict.
Topics discussed
Introduction and content warnings
Overview of the documentary 'NASA'
The concept of 'NASA' and political backlash
Filmmakers' intent and sourcing soldiers
Filming in public spaces in Tel Aviv
The Lavender AI targeting system
How Lavender rates civilians as targets
Error rates and the scale of targeting
The role of humans in the AI loop
Running out of targets and expanding the net
The normalization of high civilian casualty counts
Statistical analysis of airstrikes and deaths
Surveillance of family members' phones
The dehumanizing nature of numerical quotas
Filmmakers' personal reactions to testimonies
Starvation as policy and remote killing
Dehumanization and the rush for legitimacy
International legitimacy and the timeline of war
Tel Aviv as a character in the film
Life as usual in Tel Aviv vs. Gaza
Responsibility of citizens vs. soldiers
Why Israeli voices received more attention
The aggressive political backlash and accusations
Rejecting the need to justify crimes
IDF denials and evidence on the ground
Accusations of anti-Semitism and blood libel
Netanyahu's response and upcoming elections
Making the film free to watch
Personal impact on the filmmakers
Closing remarks and credits
Listen ad-free on Castria