The British Museum has quietly removed references to “Palestine” from several exhibits on ancient Egypt and the Phoenicians in its Middle East galleries, following concerns raised by UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLFI). The changes replace terms like “Palestinian descent” for the Hyksos people with “Canaanite descent” and update maps to use “Canaan” instead, as the museum deems “Palestine” historically inaccurate for periods predating its common usage around the 5th century BC.
Trigger for Changes
UKLFI sent a letter to museum director Nicholas Cullinan arguing that applying “Palestine” retroactively erases the historical kingdoms of Israel and Judea, which emerged around 1000 BC, and misframes ancient Israelite origins. A British Museum spokesperson stated the revisions stem from audience testing showing the term is “no longer meaningful” in some ancient contexts, with further updates planned as part of gallery refurbishments. The museum maintains it uses UN terminology for modern maps (e.g., Gaza, West Bank, Israel) and “Palestinian” where appropriate as a cultural identifier.
Criticisms and Backlash
Scholars and activists condemned the move as an attempt to erase Palestinian history, with lecturer Marchella Ward calling claims against “ancient Palestine” a “lie” supporting Israel’s actions. Groups like Energy Embargo for Palestine accused the museum of hypocrisy after looting regional artifacts, while the European Legal Support Centre highlighted UKLFI’s pattern of pressuring institutions in 128 repression cases since 2019. This follows similar concessions, such as Encyclopaedia Britannica altering kids’ entries and the Open University adding caveats to materials.
Broader Context
The eastern Mediterranean region was known as Canaan in the late second millennium BC, with later names like Philistia and Phoenicia before “Palestine” appeared in Herodotus’s writings. Critics link the changes to UKLFI’s campaigns, including against a Gaza artwork at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, amid ongoing debates over cultural representation. The museum has not publicly announced the alterations, which affect panels from 1700-1500 BC and Phoenician displays updated in early 2025.
Further reading
Middle East Eye – “‘Erasing history’: British Museum criticised for removing references to Palestine from displays” (Feb 15, 2026). https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/british-museum-removal-term-palestine-displays-part-systematic-attempt-erase-it-history
The Telegraph – “British Museum removes ‘Palestine’ from ancient Middle East displays” (Feb 14, 2026). https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/02/14/british-museum-removes-palestine-references-from-ancient-mi/
ARTnews – “British Museum Removed the Word ‘Palestinian’ from Some Displays Amid Pressure from Pro-Israel Group” (Feb 15, 2026). https://www.artnews.com/art-news/news/british-museum-removed-palestinian-uk-lawyers-for-israel-1234773499/
Athmaja Biju is the Editor at Abir Pothi. She is a Translator and Writer working on Visual Culture.
