British Museum removes 'Palestine' from displays after pro-Israel pressure

The British Museum has removed references to "Palestine" from its ancient Middle East galleries following a campaign by UK Lawyers for Israel, which raised concerns about what it described as historically inaccurate terminology. The London institution confirmed it is reviewing and updating information panels and labels on a case-by-case basis after audience testing indicated the term is no longer considered meaningful in certain historical contexts.

UK Lawyers for Israel issued a statement Saturday welcoming the museum's willingness to revise its displays, noting that information panels in the Levant gallery covering 2000-300 BC have been updated to describe the history of Canaan and the Canaanites, as well as the rise of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel using those specific names . A revised text on the Phoenicians was installed in early 2025, and a panel describing the Hyksos people in the Egypt gallery has been changed from "Palestinian descent" to "Canaanite descent" .

Historical Accuracy Debate

The advocacy group argued in a letter to museum director Nicholas Cullinan that applying the name "Palestine" across thousands of years "erases historical changes and creates a false impression of continuity" . They contended the terminology obscured the Kingdoms of Israel and Judah, which emerged around 1000 BC, and reframed the origins of the Israelites and Jewish people as erroneously stemming from Palestine .

The museum acknowledged that while the term "Palestine" has been well established in Western and Middle Eastern scholarship as a geographical designation since the late 19th century, it recognized that "the term no longer holds a neutral designation and may be understood in reference to political territory" . A museum spokesperson explained that for maps showing ancient cultural regions, the term "Canaan" is relevant for the southern Levant in the later second millennium BC .

Specific Display Changes

The revisions affect several exhibits. An Egyptian display covering approximately 1700-1500 BC had described the Hyksos people as being of "Palestinian descent" and included maps showing Egyptian forces having "dominance in Palestine" . The Phoenician civilization was similarly described as being based in Palestine. These have now been updated to reflect period-appropriate terminology, such as Canaan and Canaanite descent.

The museum indicated that larger graphic panels and maps will require phased updates as part of its long-term masterplan, with work implemented over several years due to cost and logistical considerations. Curators also plan to review references to "rural Palestine" on a panel describing dolls identified as originating from the West Bank.

Museum's Position on Terminology

A British Museum spokesman told The Jerusalem Post that the institution uses UN terminology on maps showing modern boundaries, "for example, Gaza, West Bank, Israel, Jordan, and refer to 'Palestinian' as a cultural or ethnographic identifier where appropriate" . The museum emphasized that the changes aim to provide visitors with more precise historical information about the ancient Near East.

UK Lawyers for Israel stated that "museums play a vital role in public education, and it is essential that descriptions reflect the historical record with precision and neutrality," describing the changes as "an important step toward ensuring visitors receive an accurate understanding" . The group, founded in 2011, describes itself as an association of lawyers countering the Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions movement and fostering support for Israel in the UK.