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| Columbia University president slams campus antisemitism | Columbia University president slams campus antisemitism |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| Watch: Columbia University president answers on antisemitism | Watch: Columbia University president answers on antisemitism |
| Watch: Columbia University president answers on antisemitism | Watch: Columbia University president answers on antisemitism |
| At a congressional hearing, Columbia University's president has condemned antisemitism, while defending her handling of Gaza war protests. | At a congressional hearing, Columbia University's president has condemned antisemitism, while defending her handling of Gaza war protests. |
| Asked if calls for genocide of Jews were against college policy, Dr Nemat Shafik unequivocally said they were. | |
| But she hedged when asked about another slogan widely seen as antisemitic. | |
| A similar hearing last year saw two other Ivy League university heads slammed for their responses on campus antisemitism. Both later resigned. | A similar hearing last year saw two other Ivy League university heads slammed for their responses on campus antisemitism. Both later resigned. |
| "Columbia strives to be a community free of discrimination and hate in all its forms, and we condemn the antisemitism that is so pervasive today," Dr Shafik told the Republican-led House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce on Wednesday. | "Columbia strives to be a community free of discrimination and hate in all its forms, and we condemn the antisemitism that is so pervasive today," Dr Shafik told the Republican-led House of Representatives Committee on Education and the Workforce on Wednesday. |
| But when asked by Michigan Republican Lisa McClain whether phrases used by some pro-Palestinian activists, such as "from the river to the sea, Palestine will be free", were antisemitic, Dr Shafik was less clear. | |
| "I hear them as such, some people don't... it's a difficult issue because some people hear it as antisemitic other people do not," she said. | |
| Jewish groups say the slogan - which refers to the River Jordan and the Mediterranean Sea - is a call for the destruction of the state of Israel. Those who use the phrase say it is a pro-Palestinian independence rallying cry. | |
| Three other officials from the New York City college testified during Wednesday's hearing. | |
| "My thoughts are that you are right that we have a moral crisis on our campus," co-chairwoman of the board of trustees, Claire Shipman, told the committee. | |
| "You're probably tired of hearing that I find the behaviour of some of our students, some of our faculty, unacceptable." | "You're probably tired of hearing that I find the behaviour of some of our students, some of our faculty, unacceptable." |
| US student's speech cancelled in Israel-Gaza hate row | US student's speech cancelled in Israel-Gaza hate row |
| Before the officials appeared, hundreds of Columbia students supporting Palestine set up tents on a campus lawn and pledged to occupy the space until the university divested from companies with ties to Israel, according to the student newspaper, Columbia Spectator, and Fox News. | Before the officials appeared, hundreds of Columbia students supporting Palestine set up tents on a campus lawn and pledged to occupy the space until the university divested from companies with ties to Israel, according to the student newspaper, Columbia Spectator, and Fox News. |
| Since the 7 October attack by Hamas that sparked the Israel-Gaza war, Republicans in Congress have accused elite US universities, such as Columbia, of being a safe haven for antisemitic hate. | Since the 7 October attack by Hamas that sparked the Israel-Gaza war, Republicans in Congress have accused elite US universities, such as Columbia, of being a safe haven for antisemitic hate. |
| While Dr Shafik said there had been a rise in such hatred on campus since October, she said the college was working to protect students. | While Dr Shafik said there had been a rise in such hatred on campus since October, she said the college was working to protect students. |
| She told the hearing that 15 students had been suspended and six were on probation for violating rules regarding campus protests. | She told the hearing that 15 students had been suspended and six were on probation for violating rules regarding campus protests. |
| Last year, the leaders of the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were condemned by politicians and alumni for their appearance at a hearing before the same House committee. | Last year, the leaders of the University of Pennsylvania (UPenn), Harvard University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology were condemned by politicians and alumni for their appearance at a hearing before the same House committee. |
| The presidents of Harvard and UPenn resigned after facing backlash for declining to provide a clear answer to whether "calling for the genocide of Jews" was against their university policies. | The presidents of Harvard and UPenn resigned after facing backlash for declining to provide a clear answer to whether "calling for the genocide of Jews" was against their university policies. |
| On Wednesday, all four Columbia officials answered "yes" to the same question. | On Wednesday, all four Columbia officials answered "yes" to the same question. |
| Related Topics | Related Topics |
| Israel-Gaza war | Israel-Gaza war |
| Universities | Universities |
| Antisemitism | Antisemitism |
| United States | United States |