In a powerful statement, more than 200 artists and cultural organizations are urging the British Museum to recognize and honor Palestinian heritage. This call comes in response to allegations that the museum has altered wall texts in its Middle East Galleries, following pressure from a pro-Israel group.
A letter addressed to the museum's board, signed by renowned musician and visual artist Brian Eno among others, criticizes the museum for its past affiliations with the Israeli embassy and the oil giant British Petroleum (BP), which has faced accusations of benefiting from actions in Gaza.
While the museum has denied claims of removing the term "Palestine" from its displays, the group UK Lawyers for Israel asserted that their advocacy prompted changes in the museum's exhibit texts. For example, the museum reportedly replaced "Palestinian descent" with "Canaanite descent" in its Egypt galleries after the organization requested a review of the terminology associated with Israel.
Last year, UK legal groups accused the pro-Israel organization of sending "vexatious and legally baseless correspondence" aimed at suppressing support for Palestine. The open letter, highlighted by Novara, characterizes the label changes as part of a broader trend to erase Palestine as a term and a historical reality, implicating the museum in complicity with systemic injustices.
The British Museum acknowledged that some labels and maps in the Middle East galleries were amended to reflect ancient cultural regions, claiming this approach is more relevant for the southern Levant during the late second millennium BCE.
In response to the alterations, the Palestinian Forum in Britain shared a wall text from the museum that describes the Levant as "Jordan, Israel, Gaza, West Bank, and western Syria," notably excluding the term Palestine.
The open letter emphasizes a crucial point: Palestinians never consented to the removal of their cultural heritage, with the museum housing numerous artifacts taken from Palestine, some of which are currently on display.
Signatories have outlined specific demands, including a call for the museum to commission an expert review of labels related to historic Palestinian artifacts and to apologize for hosting a private event for the Israeli embassy, which celebrated the founding of the state.
The letter concludes with a strong appeal for the museum to cease its support for the Israeli government and to initiate reparative actions for the harm caused to Palestinians due to British colonialism.
Brian Eno, a prominent advocate for Palestinian rights, is also set to auction his artwork, "Seeing Through to Sky" (2025), to benefit humanitarian efforts for Palestinians. This initiative, alongside a public exhibition featuring Eno and other artists, reflects a growing commitment to cultural solidarity and awareness.
