British Museum Updates Ancient Middle East Displays to Remove References to 'Palestine'

London: The British Museum has removed references to the term “Palestine” from some displays relating to the ancient Middle East following concerns raised about its historical use, according toAnadolu Agency. The development follows representations made by the UK-based advocacy group UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI), which argued that references to Palestine in exhibits covering the ancient Levant andEgyptwere anachronistic. The museum confirmed that selected gallery panels and labels are being updated on a case-by-case basis. UKLFI said audience feedback suggested the historic use of the term was “in some circumstances no longer meaningful”. The organisation maintained that applying a single geographical name across several millennia could create a misleading impression of continuity and obscure changing political and cultural realities in the region. A spokesperson for the museum said revisions have already been introduced in some sections. Panels in the Levant gallery, covering the period between 2000 and 300 BC, now provide detailed information on Canaan and the Canaanites, as well as the emergence of the kingdoms of Judah and Israel. Updated material on the Phoenicians was installed in early 2025. According toThe Telegraph, terminology in a display about the Hyksos, who ruled parts of Egypt between 1700 and 1500 BC, has also been amended, with the phrase “Palestinian descent” replaced by “Canaanite descent”. UKLFI welcomed the review, saying it appreciated the museum’s willingness to address terminology it considers inaccurate or potentially misleading. The group had earlier written to museum director Nicholas Cullinan, raising what it described as “serious concerns” over the use of the term in ancient historical contexts. However, the British Museum denied that the changes were made in direct response to the complaint. It said the term remains a well-established geographical designation in scholarship and continues to be used where appropriate. The museum also noted that United Nations terminology is applied in maps depicting modern political boundaries, including Gaza, the West Bank, Israel and Jordan. The revisions have drawn criticism from some academics and activists, who argue that the term “ancient Palestine” has been used in historical and archaeological research and warn that altering language in cultural institutions could influence public understanding of the region’s past. The debate reflects wider tensions over how history and identity in the Middle East are presented in global museums, where terminology remains both academically contested and politically sensitive.