American University in New York Accused of Anti-Semitism Amid Israel-Gaza War: Controversy Explained

A new American faculty announced in the middle of the war led by Israel in Gaza. Since last Wednesday, Columbia University in New York, rocked by accusations of anti-Semitism as part of pro-Palestinian student movements on his campus.

The controversy sparked concern in the White House this Sunday, prompting President Joe Biden to denounce “harassment” and “calling for violence against Jews”. “This blatant anti-Semitism is unacceptable and dangerous, and has no place on college campuses or anywhere in our country,” he thundered. How did the prestigious American university get there? Explanations.

Where do these accusations of anti-Semitism come from?

Since April 17, pro-Palestinian students have camped and demonstrated on the site of Columbia University in the heart of New York, specifically demanding that the institution, which has an exchange program with Tel Aviv University, boycott all activities associated with Israel.

The selection of this date coincides with the hearing of the president of the university, Nemat Shafik, at the American Congress. Its establishment, which was already the site of previous movements, was then accused by an elected Republican official of being a “cradle for anti-Semitism and hatred”. Charges opposed by Nemat Shafi, who also ensured that they would act against abuses: 15 students, out of a total of 37,000, were suspended, and several professors are targeted by disciplinary procedures, she said.

After the hearing, the president of the university went further, asking the New York police to intervene on campus this Thursday, causing about a hundred demonstrators to be arrested, report the Columbia Observerstudent newspaper.

But this police intervention does not seem to have calmed tensions. On Saturday evening, pro-Israel demonstrators say they suffered anti-Semitism during an anti-gathering. For example, one person pointed a sign indicating “the next targets of Al-Qasam” (the armed wing of Hamas), with an arrow, in the direction of the pro-Israel demonstrators. Naming videos he knows, the Columbia Observer reports that others compared the Israeli flag to “Nazi flags”, or shouted slogans of “go back to Europe”, as well as “all you want is to settle”.

Expressing concern for their safety, a rabbi affiliated with the Orthodox Jewish student group in Columbia, Elie Buechler, “strongly” advised Jewish students to return home on Sunday. Said Hillel, another Jewish organization in Columbia forward that the latter should not leave the campus, but that the university “must do more to ensure the safety of our students”.

How are local authorities responding?

New York State Democratic Governor Kathy Hochul criticism of these abuses from Sunday

New York Mayor Eric Abrams also mentioned more police around the campus, but not on the site, which is private, and requires permission from the university administration. His goal? “Protect students and all New Yorkers on nearby public streets.”

To avoid too much this Monday, the university also imposed on all students distance courses and exams, as the Pessah holiday begins. “Over the next few days, a working group consisting of the dean, university administrators and faculty members will try to resolve this crisis,” said the university, which is also undertaking talks with the exhibitors.

What do the organizers of the gatherings say?

For their part, the organizers of the demonstrations, including the group “Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine”, assured this Monday that they would carry out the movement “in peace”. They say they are “disgusted” by the media attention given to “blowing people who do not represent us”.

“We strongly reject any form of hatred or bigotry and will be vigilant against non-students who try to disrupt the solidarity being created among students – Palestinian, Muslim, Arab, Jewish, Black and pro-Palestinian classmates and colleagues who represent all. the diversity of our country,” said the activists.

Are these disputes specific to Columbia?

Not, since the war started last October, many American universities marked by tension around the conflict. At the University of Southern California (USC), a controversy broke out last week after the speech of Asna Tabassum, a senior student in her class, a Muslim, and a supporter of the Palestinian cause, was interrupted on social networks.

The president of the university, Andrew Guzman, had called “serious security risks and disturbances at the graduation ceremony”, which is expected to welcome 65,000 people on campus. The biomedical engineering student said she was the victim of a “campaign of hate” from “anti-Muslim and anti-Palestinian” activists, who intended to “reduce her to silence”.

These controversies can even directly affect the leaders of prestigious universities, who are accused of accepting anti-Semitic speeches during frequent pro-Palestinian demonstrations. After a heated hearing about their approach to controlling potential abuse, the presidents of Harvard and the University of Pennsylvania left their positions in December and January.