UK Government Urged to Intervene Following British Museum's Removal of Palestine References
The British Museum has come under scrutiny for altering exhibit labels, removing references to 'Palestine' and replacing them with alternative terms.
LONDON: The British Museum is facing backlash after it removed references to Palestine from its exhibits.
According to sources close to the matter, the museum replaced the words "Palestine" and "Palestinian" with other terms on labels describing ancient artifacts in sections related to Egypt and the Levant.
This move has been described by Husam Zomlot, Palestine’s ambassador to the UK, as an act of historical 'erasure.'In a letter addressed to Nicholas Cullinan, the director of the British Museum, Zomlot expressed his concern over the removal of these terms, stating that he would not engage further until the museum commits to correcting its presentation.The decision by the museum to alter its labels came in September 2025, the same month the UK government recognized the State of Palestine.
This change follows a series of events where artifacts were removed from occupied territories and even destroyed, including the bombing of Gaza City’s main archaeological storage site by Israel in September 2025.The British Museum maintains that it has not altered exhibits to remove references to Palestine, contradicting photographic evidence provided by The Guardian.
However, the museum did admit to changing labels related to certain ancient groups, replacing terms like "Philistines" with "Canaanites," which appears frequently in biblical texts but less so in historical sources.Experts such as Marchella Ward and Josephine Quinn have criticized this decision, arguing that removing "Palestine" is not only historically inaccurate but also poses a risk of misinterpretation.
Professor Quinn further noted the concern regarding the potential connection between ancient categories and contemporary political issues, including genocide.
The Guardian reported that despite the controversy, the word "Palestine" still appears on several labels throughout the museum, including maps in the Egypt section.
According to sources close to the matter, the museum replaced the words "Palestine" and "Palestinian" with other terms on labels describing ancient artifacts in sections related to Egypt and the Levant.
This move has been described by Husam Zomlot, Palestine’s ambassador to the UK, as an act of historical 'erasure.'In a letter addressed to Nicholas Cullinan, the director of the British Museum, Zomlot expressed his concern over the removal of these terms, stating that he would not engage further until the museum commits to correcting its presentation.The decision by the museum to alter its labels came in September 2025, the same month the UK government recognized the State of Palestine.
This change follows a series of events where artifacts were removed from occupied territories and even destroyed, including the bombing of Gaza City’s main archaeological storage site by Israel in September 2025.The British Museum maintains that it has not altered exhibits to remove references to Palestine, contradicting photographic evidence provided by The Guardian.
However, the museum did admit to changing labels related to certain ancient groups, replacing terms like "Philistines" with "Canaanites," which appears frequently in biblical texts but less so in historical sources.Experts such as Marchella Ward and Josephine Quinn have criticized this decision, arguing that removing "Palestine" is not only historically inaccurate but also poses a risk of misinterpretation.
Professor Quinn further noted the concern regarding the potential connection between ancient categories and contemporary political issues, including genocide.
The Guardian reported that despite the controversy, the word "Palestine" still appears on several labels throughout the museum, including maps in the Egypt section.
