UK Museum Removes ‘Palestine’ from Ancient Mideast Displays
(MENAFN) The British Museum has removed the term “Palestine” from several displays related to the ancient Middle East following pressure from a UK-based pro-Israel advocacy group. The museum confirmed it is reviewing and updating gallery panels and labels after concerns were raised that the historical use of the word “Palestine” may no longer be meaningful in certain contexts.
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) stated that some references to Palestine in exhibits covering the ancient Levant and Egypt were “historically inaccurate,” arguing that applying a single name across thousands of years “erases historical changes and creates a false impression of continuity.”
Responding to the concerns, a spokesperson for the museum said panels and labels are being revised on a case-by-case basis. For instance, the Levant gallery, covering 2000–300 BC, now provides detailed histories of Canaan and the Canaanites, as well as the emergence of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, using those historical names. A revised panel on the Phoenicians was also installed in early 2025.
In one example, the description “Palestinian descent” in the Hyksos exhibit has been updated to “Canaanite descent.” UKLFI welcomed the museum’s willingness to adjust terminology they considered inaccurate or misleading in the modern context, framing the changes as an effort to improve historical accuracy.
The updates have sparked debate over the role of historical naming in museum exhibits and the influence of advocacy groups on public cultural institutions.
UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI) stated that some references to Palestine in exhibits covering the ancient Levant and Egypt were “historically inaccurate,” arguing that applying a single name across thousands of years “erases historical changes and creates a false impression of continuity.”
Responding to the concerns, a spokesperson for the museum said panels and labels are being revised on a case-by-case basis. For instance, the Levant gallery, covering 2000–300 BC, now provides detailed histories of Canaan and the Canaanites, as well as the emergence of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel, using those historical names. A revised panel on the Phoenicians was also installed in early 2025.
In one example, the description “Palestinian descent” in the Hyksos exhibit has been updated to “Canaanite descent.” UKLFI welcomed the museum’s willingness to adjust terminology they considered inaccurate or misleading in the modern context, framing the changes as an effort to improve historical accuracy.
The updates have sparked debate over the role of historical naming in museum exhibits and the influence of advocacy groups on public cultural institutions.
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