Netflix faces criticism over removal of Palestinian movie collections
Streaming giant Netflix faces backlash on social media due to its removal of the separate section for movies about Palestine.
Nearly 19 films have been removed from the section titled “Palestinian Stories,” which featured 32 movies about Palestinian resilience and sufferings under Israeli occupation.
Netizens alleged that the Palestine-related films were removed under pressure from Zionist lobby groups in the U.S. Although Netflix responded to the backlash by saying, 'those licenses have expired,' the sudden change of approach seems to be due to pressure from pro-Israeli lobbies."
A profile named "saandpalestine2" took to X, stating that he has canceled his Netflix subscription due to Netflix's support of genocide over Gaza by Israel. “I have now canceled my Netflix subscription; I do not want to be associated with genocide supporters,” he wrote on X.
Netizens' reactions on X:
Earlier, Netflix had faced backlash from Zionist lobbies over its decision to add the same section earlier in October 2021. Netflix countered those criticisms by emphasising its support for artistic 'freedom and authentic storytelling from all over the world,' noting that the collection aims to 'showcase the depth' of the Palestinian experience, 'exploring people’s lives, dreams, families, friendships, and love.'
A letter signed by 30 organisations including Freedom forward, CAIR National, Arabs American action network , and U.S Palestinian Community network urged Netflix to give explanation and to reinstate the films.
In a letter addressed to Netflix CEO Reed Hastings, Freedom Forward stated, “The systemic suppression of Palestinian voices and censorship of content prevent U.S. and Western societies from being aware of and understanding the reality of Western governments’ support for Israel’s brutal policies of occupation, apartheid, ethnic cleansing, and now, genocide of Palestinians.”
The letter challenges Netflix officials on their hesitancy to provide a public explanation for the concerns raised by people via X.
“We are deeply concerned about the timing of Netflix’s decision to drop content that highlights Palestinian voices and narratives, especially as Israel is actively committing genocide in Gaza, erasing Palestinian lives and culture. While this may be part of a broader contractual plan, the current context demands clarity and transparency.” CAIR Nationals Government Affairs said.
The consistent efforts to silence Palestinian voices are not a new phenomenon, streaming of the movie “Farha”, which depicted the horrors of the 1948 massacre (Nakba) has been widely condemned by Israel.
The erasure of Palestinian movies manifests the decades-long suppression of Palestinian voices and narratives in mainstream media to justify grave human rights violations by Israel, say social media users.
