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Netflix denies deleting Palestinian films off its platform and has instead said that a collection of at least 19 films called the Palestine Stories is being removed due to expiring licences.

“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,” the platform told Deadline.

The move has prompted widespread criticism from rights groups and activists, including San Francisco-based human rights organisation Freedom Forward. An open letter and petition by the group calls for an explanation from Netflix for the move.

“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,” read a section of the letter, which has been signed by 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 other groups.

Sunjeev Bery, executive director of Freedom Forward, told Deadline that the platform should still reinstate the titles. “I suspected that licensing issues may be at play. At a time of such significant pain and suffering for Palestinians, it seems clear that Netflix should be doing everything in its power to maintain global public access to Palestinian films,” he said.

“It is surprising that Netflix has kept silent about the removal of these films, and that Netflix appears not to have put in the effort necessary to renew the licenses involved.”

In its announcement of the Palestine Stories Collection in October 2021, Netflix said it would be launching a collection of 32 films “either helmed by Palestinian filmmakers or about Palestinian stories”. The collection featured the works of directors Annemarie Jacir, Mai Masri, Mahdi Fleifel, Susan Youssef, May Odeh and Farah Nabulsi, among others and was described as “a tribute to the creativity and passion of the Arab film industry”.

Currently, the Pakistani version of Netflix has only two films available in the Palestine Stories Collection — 200 Meters and Ibrahim: A Fate to Define.