India bans 'The Voice of Hind Rajab', citing threats to relationship with Israel

India's Central Board of Film Certification (CBFC) is blocking the release of the Oscar-nominated film, The Voice of Hind Rajab, because of the threat it could pose to the relationship between India and Israel, according to a report by Variety.

Tunisian director Kaouther Ben Hania’s docudrama tells the story of Hind Rajab, a five-year-old Palestinian girl in Gaza who was deliberately killed by Israeli soldiers after they fired 335 bullets inside the car from which she was waiting to be rescued. 

The Voice of Hind Rajab’s India-based distributor, Manoj Nandwana, told Middle East Eye that he had submitted it for central approval in February, in anticipation of a March release. 

However, the CBFC blocked the film, reportedly telling Nandwana that “if it gets released, it would break up the India-Israel relationship”, according to the Variety report.

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