The British Museum has faced protests and accusations of historical erasure after removing the words 'Palestine' and 'Palestinian' from explanatory panels in its Levant and Egyptian galleries. The changes replaced references to modern Palestine with terms such as Gaza and West Bank, prompting objections from Palestinian officials and more than 200 academics who described the move as an act of revisionism. A public petition has gathered tens of thousands of signatures calling for the restoration of the term and greater transparency.

Museum representatives said the wording changes followed audience testing and were part of a routine gallery refresh, denying that Palestine was being removed. However, critics argue that the decision lacked academic justification and may have followed pressure from a pro-Israel legal advocacy group that had complained about the use of the term. The museum has declined to provide detailed explanations or make curators available for interviews.

Scholars contend that the term Palestine has been widely used in historical sources for centuries and that its removal distorts the historical record. The dispute has intensified amid broader tensions over cultural heritage, with Palestinian officials describing the issue as existential and accusing institutions of contributing to the erasure of Palestinian history and identity.