Netflix defended its removal of Palestinian-themed content from its streaming platform Friday, citing the expiration of a three-year licensing agreement that brought these films to viewers after receiving backlash from numerous pro-Palestinian organizations.
The streaming service responded to the mounting criticism after removing 19 films by or about Palestinians in mid-October. According to a statement from Netflix to The Hollywood Reporter, the "Palestinian Stories" collection, which originally featured 32 films, was launched in October 2021 through a licensing arrangement that has since concluded.
"Those licenses have now expired," Netflix stated Friday. "As always we continue to invest in a wide variety of quality films and TV shows to meet our members' needs, and celebrate voices from around the world."
A coalition of organizations, spearheaded by Freedom Forward, addressed an open letter to Netflix's leadership, including founder and executive chairman Reed Hastings and co-CEOs Greg Peters and Ted Sarandos, demanding an explanation for the content removal.
"We urge you to explain your decision and to reinstate every film by or about Palestinians that Netflix deleted last week," the coalition wrote, noting the timing of the removal during the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in Gaza.
Sunjeev Bery, executive director of Freedom Forward, challenged Netflix's decision not to renew the licensing agreement. "Netflix is a 300 billion dollar company that can afford to renew the licenses for the movies and films that it cares about," Bery stated to The Hollywood Reporter.
The streaming platform, following standard industry practices, regularly adjusts its content library based on licensing agreements. Similar changes have affected popular shows like "Friends," which moved to Max. Currently, Netflix maintains some Palestinian content on its platform.
The letter received support from various organizations, including the Arab American Action Network, Council on American Islamic Relations, Muslim Anti-Racism Collaborative, National Network for Arab American Communities, and US Palestinian Community Network, among others.
