Columbia University has been the center of controversy recently due to an anti-Israel tent encampment led by radical student leaders. These leaders, some of whom express solidarity with Hamas and make inflammatory statements such as “Zionists don’t deserve to live,” have been negotiating directly with university officials, effectively holding the campus hostage. One prominent leader in the protest camp is Khymani James, a spokesperson for Columbia United Apartheid Divest. James, who identifies as queer and uses non-traditional pronouns, recently made headlines for a resurfaced video in which they made the controversial statement about Zionists. While James issued a half-hearted apology, they placed the blame on “far-right agitators.”
The protests have resulted in Jewish students feeling unsafe on campus and as a response, the university has allowed students to attend classes online for the remainder of the year. The student leaders have also successfully forced university officials to back down from attempting to break up the camp. By dropping a deadline they had imposed on the protesters, the leaders claimed victory and stated that negotiations would now focus on addressing their divestment demands.
One of the lead negotiators for the protesters is Palestinian graduate student Mahmoud Khalil. Khalil, who did his undergraduate degree in Beirut, Lebanon, expressed concerns about participating in the protests due to fears of losing his student visa. Prior to his involvement in the protests, Khalil worked as a political affairs officer for UNRWA, the United Nations’ agency that supports Palestinian refugees. UNRWA has faced criticism and funding cuts over allegations of connections to Hamas.
Before the tent camp was established, members of the Columbia Apartheid Divest group and its leaders faced disciplinary action for extremist statements. In an event titled “Resistance 101,” one of the speakers expressed support for Hamas fighters. As a result, three students, including Aidan Parisi and Maryam Alwan, were suspended. Despite being barred from campus, Parisi has continued to update social media from the encampment and make anti-Israel statements. Alwan, an organizer with Students for Justice in Palestine, shared a photo of herself being arrested during the mass arrest last week. She was issued a summons by the NYPD.
The tent camp shows no signs of ending, and Columbia officials appear reluctant to involve the police to remove the protesters from campus. Khalil stated that the university understands they cannot operate on timelines or under time pressure, suggesting that negotiations will continue without interruption.
The situation at Columbia University has sparked debates about free speech, safety on campus, and the role of radical student leaders in shaping university policies. The protests have highlighted the deep divisions and tensions surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict within academic institutions, prompting discussions about how universities should address controversial and inflammatory rhetoric. As the situation unfolds, it remains to be seen how Columbia University will navigate this ongoing controversy and ensure the safety and well-being of all its students.
