Netflix ends “Palestinian Stories” Collection: Rights expire amid global outcry

Human rights groups call for answers, questioning the streaming giant's commitment to diverse storytelling.

Netflix is under scrutiny from human rights groups for not renewing its “Palestinian Stories” collection, a curated selection of 19 films launched in October 2021.

The films, which explore Palestinian narratives and experiences, are set to exit Netflix at the end of October as the three-year licensing period concludes. Though this expiration is a standard practice similar to Netflix’s removal of other popular content, it has sparked criticism globally.

Freedom Forward, a human rights organization, criticized Netflix in an open letter, expressing concern over the removal of almost all films from the collection. “We are deeply concerned by Netflix’s decision to delete at least 19 films by Palestinian filmmakers or about Palestinian stories from your platform last week,” the group wrote, highlighting that only one film currently remains on the “Palestinian Stories” page. This sentiment is echoed by other organizations, including the Council on American Islamic Relations, the National Network for Arab American Communities, and the U.S. Palestinian Community Network.

The collection included notable titles such as Rani Massalha’s Giraffada, Jessica Habie’s Mars at Sunrise, and Elia Souleiman’s Chronicle of a Disappearance. A Netflix representative confirmed that the licenses for these films had expired, adding, “We launched this licensed collection of films in 2021 for three years. Those licenses have now expired. 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.” Despite the collection’s end, the platform still offers other films from Palestinian creators.

The backlash underscores the platform's role in offering representation for underrepresented voices. As calls for transparency grow, the non-renewal of this specific collection raises questions about how streaming platforms balance business agreements with their stated commitments to diversity and inclusion.