It isn't Islamophobia when they really ARE trying to kill you
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Israeli-born Columbia University professor who called out the rampant anti-Semitism on campus is being investigated in ‘clear act of retaliation’ against him
An Israeli-born Columbia University Jewish professor who gained notoriety for ripping the school’s failure to address the rampant anti-Semitism on campus revealed this week he’s under investigation by the embattled Ivy — a probe he said is a “clear act of retaliation by the university in an attempt to silence me.”
NY Post Shai Davidai, an assistant professor at Columbia Business School, wrote Friday to his nearly 35,000 “X” followers that the university Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Office opened a probe into his “advocacy for the Jewish and Israeli students, faculty, and staff at the university.”
“To say that civil rights are being violated does not begin to capture what Jews and Israelis are forced to endure on campus right now,” he wrote.
“My problem is with Hamas and support for Hamas. I guess the university somehow thinks that supporting terrorism a protected class. That could be the only explanation for this investigation.” Aside from his livelihood, Davidai — who has worked at Columbia for five years — claimed what’s at stake is “professors’ ability to call out bad behavior by universities.”
“If they go after me, I can’t even imagine all of the other [faculty] who have done much less and are being silenced by their institution,” he said, adding that other colleagues confided that “it might not be worth it to go public” against their school’s policies.
The beleaguered Ivy is under investigation by Congress and the US Department of Education, and is facing two lawsuits, brought by close to 20 Jewish students, for violations of their civil rights.
“Columbia is an especially bad example of anti-Semitism on campus that the administration has refused to act on for years,” said Gerard Filitti, a lawyer with The Lawfare Project, a pro-Jewish human and civil rights organization.
Filitti blasted the “double standard” at the school that he said existed “long before Oct 7, when students and faculty have complained about anti-Semitism on campus and feeling unsafe, intimidated, harassed and bullied by pro-Hamas and pro-Palestinian protestors on campus, including professors.”
Davidai’s lawyer, Mark W. Lerner, partner at Kasowitz Benson Torres, told The Post: “Despite unrelenting pro-Hamas and anti-Semitic demonstrations placing Jewish students at risk, both prior to and since October 7, 2023, Columbia‘s baseless investigation of professor Davidai for demanding that Columbia enforce its policies to protect those students is a flagrant act of discriminatory and unlawful retaliation aimed at silencing him. It will not succeed.”
In a viral video below, Columbia Business School assistant professor Shai Davidai strongly criticised the university president for allowing “pro-terror student organisations” on campus, expressing concerns about student safety. Davidai cited pro-Palestinian demonstrations on campus where participants allegedly chanted pro-terror songs, condemning the university administration for not denouncing such acts. He also revealed his personal fear of being on the Columbia campus due to the celebrations of violence and references to the alleged rape of teenage girls at a music festival during the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel. Davidai questioned how these demonstrations could occur in a city that had endured the 9/11 attacks, drawing parallels to not allowing KKK or pro-ISIS demonstrations on campus.
And it’s not just a problem at Columbia University.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Az galsays
What does anyone expect from this President of Columbia University? She’s an Egyptian Musscum. Jew hater.
It is unfathomable to me that one of the foremost universities in the US and one with highly esteemed law school would not be able to discern the difference between protected and unprotected speech under the Fourth Amendment. Could the university’s officials and deans be so undiscerning? The only alternatives I can consider is that the university’s leadership, its president, senior administrators and departmental deans are in league with the nazi-like pro-Hamas activists that now colonize academic life there. (Oh, I forgot to inluce the DEI apparatchiks among those officials. Pardon moi.) The other alternative is that the leaders of academia, at Columbua and elsewhere, are intimidated by the stridency of the pro-Hamas element. They should note that appeasement does not work on the international political stage and won’t work in academia either. I am sure that the disruptive and intimidating behaviors, not to mention those cases of vandalism and personal violence, are also violations of codes of student conduct, sufficient for expulsion. I suspect also that a good number of those threatening Jewish scholars at that institution are here on student visas. One arrest for these activities might be a basis for revocation of visas and deportation, if we were actually a society of the rule of law. What America, not just its universities, is enduring is a low intensity “intifadeh” that won’t fade away by itself.
so true! principal among them is Qatar. the petro-staes of the Gulf finance many “middle east studies” departments and programs across all of academic. they finance professorial seats at many universities. and their general donations are surely well-appreciated by the schools that receive their largesse. and i’m sure not one of those departmental studies programs have a component that provides israel’s perspective.
Az gal says
What does anyone expect from this President of Columbia University? She’s an Egyptian Musscum. Jew hater.
jarmanray says
BNI, This is one of the best postings that I have seen from any website. Thank you for the courage to present this.
BareNakedIslam says
I feel very sad that this kind of story even exists…especially in the ivy leagues. Shame on them.
Jack Rider says
It is unfathomable to me that one of the foremost universities in the US and one with highly esteemed law school would not be able to discern the difference between protected and unprotected speech under the Fourth Amendment. Could the university’s officials and deans be so undiscerning? The only alternatives I can consider is that the university’s leadership, its president, senior administrators and departmental deans are in league with the nazi-like pro-Hamas activists that now colonize academic life there. (Oh, I forgot to inluce the DEI apparatchiks among those officials. Pardon moi.) The other alternative is that the leaders of academia, at Columbua and elsewhere, are intimidated by the stridency of the pro-Hamas element. They should note that appeasement does not work on the international political stage and won’t work in academia either. I am sure that the disruptive and intimidating behaviors, not to mention those cases of vandalism and personal violence, are also violations of codes of student conduct, sufficient for expulsion. I suspect also that a good number of those threatening Jewish scholars at that institution are here on student visas. One arrest for these activities might be a basis for revocation of visas and deportation, if we were actually a society of the rule of law. What America, not just its universities, is enduring is a low intensity “intifadeh” that won’t fade away by itself.
BareNakedIslam says
Follow the money. The oil-rich Arab Gulf states give millions to these universities every year.
Jack Rider says
so true! principal among them is Qatar. the petro-staes of the Gulf finance many “middle east studies” departments and programs across all of academic. they finance professorial seats at many universities. and their general donations are surely well-appreciated by the schools that receive their largesse. and i’m sure not one of those departmental studies programs have a component that provides israel’s perspective.
BareNakedIslam says
Of course not, despite the big contributions they’ve been getting for years from the Jews.