Several human rights organisations, including Freedom Forward, U.S. Palestinian Community Network and Arab American Action Network, have written to Netflix demanding immediate reinstatement of the films.
Netflix deleted nearly its entire library of Palestinian films and films about Palestinians last week sparking an outcry on social media. Thousands of people have criticised the streaming platform on several social outlets for removing these 19 films, but Netflix has remained silent.
Now, a coalition of over 35 peace and human rights organisations, and media and entertainment groups has released a letter to Netflix demanding the immediate reinstatement of the films.
Excerpts from the letter:
“Three years ago, Netflix announced the launch of “Palestinian Stories,” a Netflix collection of 32 films that would “showcase the depth and diversity of the Palestinian experience, exploring people’s lives, dreams, families, friendships, and love.” In the U.S., the “Palestinian Stories” Netflix page now shows only one film that is available for viewing. Netflix has deleted almost all of its Palestinian films and has failed to explain why, despite a global outcry from thousands of people via social media.
We urge you to explain your decision and to reinstate every film by or about Palestinians that Netflix deleted last week. We are deeply concerned that Netflix’s deletion of nearly its entire library of Palestinian films will further marginalise Palestinian voices at a time when over two million Palestinians in Gaza are being subjected to genocide by the Israeli military. This erasure of Palestinian voices by Netflix follows many ugly decades of suppression of Palestinian viewpoints and narratives by Western news and entertainment media companies. The systemic suppression of Palestinian voices and censorship of content prevents 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 further states that thousands of concerned people worldwide have already attempted to contact Netflix via social media regarding its deletion of these films by or about Palestinians. Despite many people worldwide have also tagging the streaming platform in their own social media posts and criticising its decision, Netflix has remained silent on the matter.
The letter points out that given the horrifying genocide that is taking place in Gaza currently, “Netflix should be promoting – not deleting – Palestinian films so that more people can learn about Palestinian life under Israeli military domination and occupation, especially given the International Court of Justice’s advisory opinion that the Israeli occupation is illegal, a grave human rights violation, and must end.”
The coalition group includes Freedom Forward, Arab American Action Network (AAAN), Council on American Islamic Relations (CAIR), Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative (MuslimARC), National Network for Arab American Communities, U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), and SAG-AFTRA & Sister Guild Members for Ceasefire Action Corps among others.
Speaking on the release of the letter, Sunjeev Bery, Freedom Forward Executive Director, said: “At a time when Israel is committing a genocide against Palestinians, it is shocking that Netflix would delete nearly its entire library of Palestinian films and films featuring Palestinian stories. Netflix must end its silence, explain why it took this action, and commit to bringing all 19 deleted films back online immediately. Instead of deleting Palestinian content, Netflix should be promoting Palestinian stories.”
Hatem Abudayyeh, National Chair of the U.S. Palestinian Community Network (USPCN), added:
“At a time that is emotionally and psychologically devastating for Palestinians and Arabs in the U.S., we are more than disappointed at this decision by Netflix. A decision like this is clearly a political one, and what it means is that Netflix has chosen a side, the side of racism and war crimes and genocide perpetrated by apartheid Israel and its U.S. patron against the Palestinian people. This decision must be reversed or else we will know that Netflix is complicit in genocide.”
The full letter can be read here.
