Columbia University has taken firm disciplinary action against students involved in last spring’s anti-Israel protests, including for those who occupied Hamilton Hall. This crackdown follows intense federal scrutiny, including the Trump administration cutting $400 million in funding over allegations of antisemitism and failure to protect Jewish students.
, an Israeli-born Columbia Business School professor and vocal advocate for Jewish students, has been central to debates over campus safety and free speech. Davidai argues that anti-Israel protests have created a hostile environment for Jewish students, comparing pro-Palestinian activism to supporting groups like the KKK or ISIS. His outspoken criticism of Columbia’s administration for tolerating what he calls “pro-terror” activism led to his suspension in 2024 after he filmed himself confronting a university official.
### Key Developments:
– : Columbia’s judicial board punished 22 students, including six expulsions, for occupying Hamilton Hall and disrupting campus operations. Protest organizers claim these measures are an overreach to silence criticism of Israel.
– : The Trump administration cited Columbia’s failure to address antisemitism as justification for slashing federal funds. House Republicans have demanded student disciplinary records, sparking lawsuits over privacy and free speech.
– : Mahmoud Khalil, a leader of the Columbia University Apartheid Divest group, was arrested by immigration authorities for allegedly distributing pro-Hamas material. His case has galvanized protests, with supporters calling it political retaliation.
Davidai has criticized Columbia’s leadership for allowing anti-Israel rhetoric to dominate campus culture, arguing that administrators enabled harassment of Jewish students by failing to enforce rules consistently. While suspended himself, he remains a symbol of resistance for critics of the protests, even as detractors accuse him of harassing pro-Palestinian activists.
The university’s actions mark a turning point in balancing free speech with campus safety, but tensions remain high as both sides accuse the other of extremism.
