British Museum removes word Palestine' from some displays

"In a letter to the museum's director, Nicholas Cullinan, the group wrote: Applying a single name Palestine retrospectively to the entire region, across thousands of years, erases historical changes and creates a false impression of continuity. It also has the compounding effect of erasing the kingdoms of Israel and of Judea, which emerged from around 1,000BC, and of reframing the origins of the Israelites and Jewish people as erroneously stemming from Palestine."

"UKLFI said the chosen terminology implies the existence of an ancient and continuous region called Palestine. It asked the museum to review its collections and revise terminology so relevant regions are referred to as Canaan, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, or Judea, depending on the period being described. While several displays have been updated, the museum has said these changes were made last year after feedback and audience research."

The British Museum removed the word Palestine from some displays in its ancient Middle East galleries, citing inaccurate usage and loss of historical neutrality. Maps and information panels had referred to the eastern Mediterranean coast as Palestine and identified some people as of Palestinian descent. UK Lawyers for Israel (UKLIF) argued that applying the name Palestine retrospectively across thousands of years erases historical changes, obscures the kingdoms of Israel and Judea, and reframes the origins of Israelites and Jewish people. UKLIF requested that regions be referred to as Canaan, the kingdoms of Israel and Judah, or Judea depending on the period.

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