Eyal Zamir
Role at the time: Chief of the General Staff of the Israel Defense Forces, in remarks reported in English by Ynetnews
Statement summary
IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir said the film must be confronted decisively with legal, command and public-diplomacy tools, as he ordered the Military Advocate General to examine legal measures concerning the film and those involved in it.
“Such an attempt must be confronted decisively, using every tool at our disposal—legal, command, and public diplomacy.”
Ynetnews report on the directives Zamir issued after a meeting of senior commanders on Monday, September 14. It quotes his remarks in English and describes the legal review and the information-security examination he ordered.
Archived copy (opens in a new tab)Why we used this label
The case asks whether Israel should investigate and prosecute the people who made NAZA or appeared in it, as Netanyahu demanded on October 11. Zamir orders military lawyers to examine legal measures against the film and those involved, and says it must be confronted with every tool, "legal, command, and public diplomacy". That supports pursuing legal action against those involved, so we labeled it Defended or excused. The closest competing label is Challenged characterization, since he disputes the film's account; it loses because he orders legal steps rather than only rebutting the film.