Exclusive: MPs demand investigation into British Museum’s ‘erasure’ of Palestine
GCC News
Cross-party MPs have demanded an urgent, independent investigation into the British Museum’s erasures of “Palestine”, “Palestinian” and “Israelite occupation” from displays, citing fears of political interference and misleading statements by the national institution.
The call from Green, Labour and Your Party MPs comes after a Middle East Eye investigation revealed that the museum’s decisions to remove the terms came in direct response to lobbying by pro-Israel activists between October and December 2024.
Green MP Sian Berry described MEE’s findings as “deeply troubling”, while Your Party MP Jeremy Corbyn described the erasures as “anti-Palestinian racism”.
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Berry, the MP for Brighton Pavilion, said: “Succumbing to pressure in this way, if this is what has happened, hugely discredits the museum’s leadership and undermines its work.
“An independent investigation should urgently be launched to determine if political interference has occurred.”
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Echoing the call for an inquiry, Richard Burgon, Labour MP for Leeds East, told MEE: “The British Museum must urgently answer serious questions about its unacceptable removal of references to Palestine.
“Our national institutions must not take part in the erasure of Palestinian history.
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