Columbia University president is accused of running one of the worst 'hotbeds of anti-Semitism and hate' as she defends 'peaceful' Hamas protesters

Columbia University President Nemat Shafik was accused of running one of the 'worst hotbeds of anti-Semitism and hate' during a grilling in Congress over her handling of pro-Palestinian protests on campus

The Ivy League chief defended the 'peaceful' demonstrations and the students' right to free speech in the surge of anti-Semitic rhetoric since the start of the Gaza war that led to the resignations of Harvard President Claudine Gay and Yale President Liz Magill.

House GOP Conference Chair Rep. Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., accused Columbia's leadership of refusing to 'enforce their own policies and condemn Jewish hatred on campus, creating a breeding ground for antisemitism and a hotbed of support for terrorism from radicalized faculty and students.' 

Rep. Burgess Owens, R-Utah, told Shafik that the experience of Jewish students at Columbia reminds him of the 'hated and bigotry' he experienced in the 1960s deep south, referring to one professor at the Ivy League calling the October 7 attack 'awesome.'

He directed a pointed question at the president: 'Would this treatment of black Americans be tolerated for one second on Columbia's campus?

Shafik replied 'absolutely not.' 

Chairwoman Virginia Foxx, R-N.C., played a clip of students rallying at Columbia and shouting 'Intifada!' and 'We will honor all the martyrs!' in reference the Hamas attackers on October 7. 

'While antisemitism has been festering on numerous college campuses, Columbia University stands out as one of the worst offenders,' Foxx insisted. 

Columbia students insist their university has done nothing about a 'tsunami of antisemitism' on campus after the Hamas attack - just as President Nemat Shafik testifies before the House Education and Workforce Committee

Pro-Palestinian students take part in a protest in support of the Palestinians amid the ongoing conflict in Gaza, at Columbia University in New York City, U.S.,

But Shafik insisted she has aggressively worked to combat antisemitism on campus, including holding over 200 meetings on the topic, holding daily meetings of the campus security team and working with the NYPD and FBI when hate crimes occur on campus. 

She said the 'vast majority' of protests on campus have been 'peaceful' and said the college is focused on upholding free speech, but 'cannot and shouldn't tolerate abuses this pledge to harass and discriminate.'

Rep. Suzanne Bonamici, D-Ore., asked Shafik if chanting 'intifada' violates Columbia's rules. 

'I find incredibly distressing, and I wish profoundly people would not use them on our campus,' said Shafik. 'It's abhorrent and has and has no place in our community.'

She went on: 'I think one of the issues that we are actively debating now ... is to actually clarify where language crosses the line from protected speech to discriminatory or harassing speech.'

Stefanik, who led the line of questioning that stumped Harvard and Yale's presidents in December, asked a series of pointed questions directed at Shafik.

She asked him about 'disciplinary actions' taken against Columbia professor Joseph Massad, who celebrated the Hamas attack on Israel calling it 'awesome.'

Shafik said that he is still a professor at Columbia, but had a stern talking to.

Another professor, Mohamed Abdou, said that he was 'with Hamas' just days before his hiring. 

'He will never work at Columbia again,' replied Shafik, without answering directly if he has been fired.

'He is grading his students' papers, and will never teach at Columbia again,' she said. 

'Isn't it a problem with the hiring process at Columbia by hiring someone after they make those statements?' asked Stefanik.

The president said they would need to 'toughen up' the processes. 

'You see the concern here though, with the lack of enforcement. You see the concern that speaking to these professors is not enough. And it's sending a message across the university that this is tolerated,' replied Stefanik. 

'These anti-Semitic statements from a position of authority by professors in the classroom is tolerated.'

During another head-scratching moment, Republican Rep. Jim Banks of Indiana brought up language used during the Columbia School of Social Work's orientation to define the word 'Ashkenormativity.'

'It is defined here as: 'A system of oppression that favors white Jews based on the assumption that all Jewish folx are Ashkenazi or from western Europe,'' Banks read aloud.

'This is handed out to students. You allow this to be handed to students?' he continued with emphasis on 'folx' as opposed to 'folks.'

Shafik responded that it's 'not an official product of the administration.'

Banks continued, saying it's 'handed out on your watch.' 

Current Columbia students also say the school has done nothing about a 'tsunami of antisemitism' on campus after the Hamas attack on October 7, 2022.

Jewish students told stories of Star of David necklaces being ripped off necks while the walk to class, having antisemitic slogans shouted in their faces as they said Columbia offers 'no transparency about what they're doing, if anything to the people violating the university rules.' 

Chairwoman Virginia Foxx played a clip of students rallying at Columbia and shouting 'Intifada!' and 'We will honor all the martyrs!' in reference the Hamas attackers on October 7

President Shafik said one of the suggestions from the school's antisemitism task force was to limit the places where students could protest

'In the five months following October 7, the Columbia administration sat idly by as a tsunami of anti semitism in the forms of harassment, bullying, exclusion, intimidation, and physical violence flooded every aspect of campus life,' one Jewish student said at a news conference ahead of the hearing. 

President Shafik said one of the suggestions from the school's antisemitism task force was to limit the places where students could protest. 

'If you are going to chant it should only be in a certain place so people don't want to hear it, or protected from having to hear it.'

Columbia's co-chair of the board Claire Shipman went on to say that she is 'not satisfied' with the school's response to pro-Hamas rallies on campus.

'I can tell you plainly that I am not satisfied with where Columbia is at the moment as co-chair of the board. I bear responsibility for that,' she said.

'This role is one of the great privileges of my life and I take the weight of its responsibility seriously. I am dedicated to addressing these concerns.'

'The days immediately following October 7 are the most painful I've experienced on our campus I knew as word of the horrific Hamas terror attack started to spread that this terrorist tragedy would have a devastating impact, especially on our Jewish students.'

Stefanik, who led the line of questioning that stumped Harvard and Yale's presidents in December, asked a series of pointed questions directed at Shafik

'While anti semitism has been festering on numerous college campuses, Columbia University stands out as one of the worst offenders,' Foxx insisted

NYPD officers stand guard as people gather to protest the banning of Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) at Columbia University

'The ultimate answer to anti-Semitism and all its forms is education,' said Shafik. 

An earlier antisemitism hearing in January had devastating consequences for other university presidents who Republicans criticized for excusing antisemitism: Harvard President Claudine Gay and Penn President Liz Magill resigned after their appearance before the Education and Workforce Committee.

Ranking Democrat Bobby Scott played a clip of the Charlottesville 'Unite the Right' rally in 2017. 

'While I appreciate my colleagues' newfound concerns for some students of all rights on campus, I would note that it is at odds with House Republicans' budget proposals,' he said.