Critics Condemn Columbia Professors for Publicly Supporting Anti-Israel Protests at Ivy League School

Columbia University Professors Face Criticism for Supporting Anti-Israel Protests

A group of Columbia University professors has come under fire for publicly supporting anti-Israel protests taking place on the Ivy League school’s campus. The professors, including President Emeritus Lee Bollinger, appeared at a rally to back the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” and denounce the administration’s decision to arrest protesters. Their decision has outraged Jewish groups who claim that the encampment is promoting anti-Semitism and mistreating Jewish students.

Critics argue that professors should focus on teaching subjects rather than endorsing protests. Rabbi Joseph Potasnik, executive vice president of the New York Board of Rabbis, criticized the professors’ behavior, stating that it reflects poorly on the kind of educators that Columbia University hires. He believes that the university has lowered its standards by supporting professors who condone misbehavior.

The exact number of professors who participated in the walkout remains unclear, but The Guardian reported that there were “hundreds of faculty members” present. Some of the professors who attended include Christopher Brown, a history professor at Columbia, Hilary Callahan, a biology professor at Barnard, Julie Crawford, an English and literature professor at Columbia, and Elizabeth Bernstein, a Women’s Studies professor at Barnard.

During the rally, María Rivera Maulucci, a professor of Urban Studies at Barnard, voiced her opposition to the arrests. She criticized the way the university was handling the situation and questioned whether it was leading students in the right direction. Her comments, along with the overall support for the anti-Israel protests, have left Rory Lancman, senior counsel of the Brandeis Center for Human Rights Under Law, disappointed in his alma mater. He described the professors’ inability to distinguish between hateful rhetoric and free speech as “grotesque.”

Lancman went on to criticize the protesters, calling them “wannabe fascists” who resort to harassment, intimidation, and violence to achieve their goals. Some Columbia graduate students also expressed their disapproval of the professors’ support for the student protesters. They believed that the professors’ actions indicated that Columbia was not a place for peaceful discourse but rather a place that favored a specific student body.

Jewish groups have been particularly upset by the professors’ decision to back the protesters. They argue that the “Gaza Solidarity Encampment” promotes anti-Semitism and mistreats Jewish students. The faculty members’ support for the protesters has only exacerbated these concerns.

The controversy has caught the attention of Robert Kraft, the owner of the New England Patriots and a former donor to Columbia University. Kraft called on the university to hold its tenured professors accountable for their involvement in the protests. He criticized these professors for attempting to dictate what young people should think instead of teaching them how to think critically.

Tenured professor Joseph Massad is among those mentioned by Kraft. Massad previously celebrated an attack by the Hamas terror group on Israel, describing it as an “awesome” and “stunning victory.” This kind of endorsement of violence has further fueled criticism against the professors supporting the anti-Israel protests.

In conclusion, the Columbia University professors who publicly supported anti-Israel protests have faced significant backlash from Jewish groups, alumni, and critics. The controversy highlights concerns about academic freedom, the role of professors in promoting certain ideologies, and potential mistreatment of Jewish students. The university now faces pressure to address these issues and ensure a more inclusive and respectful environment on campus.