LONDON: The Committee to Protect Journalists has condemned Israeli government plans to revoke the citizenship of those who “defame” Israeli soldiers abroad.

The CPJ described it as a “dangerous escalation” in the government’s efforts to “intimidate and punish journalists.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s plans come amid the fallout of the release of the documentary NAZA, which catalogs a litany of violations committed by the Israeli military in its war on Gaza, with senior officials issuing threats against the film’s makers.

“Israeli authorities are moving from public threats against journalists to pursuing legislation that could strip them of their citizenship for their reporting,” said CPJ regional director Sara Qudah.

“This is a grave threat to press freedom. Journalists must not face the loss of their citizenship, legal retaliation, or intimidation because they report critically on the conduct of the military or other powerful institutions.”

Qudah urged Israeli authorities to “immediately” end the campaign against the directors of NAZA, Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, and ensure the safety of them and their families after dozens protested outside Szor’s family home on Wednesday, with police called to intervene. 

Among senior officials to have stoked rising anger against Abraham and Szor are Israel Defense Forces Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir, who said military lawyers are considering the possibility of legal action against the pair, with Culture Minister Miki Zohar seeking revocation of their citizenship.

In videos of the protest outside Szor’s home, chants of “death sentence for traitors” can be heard.

In a separate incident, a video posted by activist Mordechai David showed him inside the offices of +972 Magazine, which published the investigations that NAZA is based on.

Hagai Matar, executive director of +972 and co-director of Hebrew-language independent news site Sicha Mekomit, told the CPJ that their offices were broken into on Wednesday by protesters, with David seen confronting a female journalist.

Netanyahu has shown no sign of backing down, confirming on Wednesday that his government would introduce two bills, one of which would allow for people who defame IDF soldiers abroad to have their citizenship revoked, and another to increase the amount that they can be sued for in defamation cases.