More than 300 faculty members from Columbia University and an affiliate school, Barnard College, signed an open letter Tuesday stating they are “appalled by the spate of antisemitic incidents” that have occurred on campus.
Columbia faculty members have been divided with some supporting pro-Hamas student groups and others defending Jewish students who have voiced concerns of safety on campus. The new open letter from faculty members follows a previous letter signed by more than 100 members of the Ivy League staff defending campus protests in support of Hamas.
“Just as we condemn any bigoted comments or acts directed at Palestinian and Muslim students, we are appalled by the spate of antisemitic incidents on campus since October 7. These incidents, which include antisemitic epithets, physical assault, and swastikas scrawled on bathroom walls, are growing in frequency and are creating a hostile and unsafe environment that impacts our entire community,” the open letter stated.
An open letter from faculty at Columbia University. Signed by 2x more faculty than the prior letter to which this is a forthright and effective rejoinder:
“There is no justification for raping and murdering ordinary citizens in front of their families, mutilating babies,… pic.twitter.com/W4DulEU6Qy
— Wesley Yang (@wesyang) November 1, 2023
Ivy League universities across the United States have seen a large number of student protests in support of the terrorist group, Hamas, following the Oct. 7 attack on Israel. Notably, a Columbia University student group, Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP), released a letter on Oct. 9 in “full solidarity” with Palestine, calling Israel state a “settler-colonialism and apartheid.”
“We are horrified that anyone would celebrate these monstrous attacks or, as some members of the Columbia faculty have done in a recent letter, try to ‘recontextualize’ them as a ‘salvo,’ as the ‘exercise of a right to resist’ occupation, or as ‘military action.’ We are astonished that anyone at Columbia would try to legitimize an organization that shares none of the University’s core values of democracy, human rights, or the rule of law,” the open letter continued.
A campus protest was shortly organized Oct. 12 by SJP and the Jewish Voice for Peace student group, with chants calling for “free, free Palestine” and “from the river to the sea.” Following the protest, incidents of antisemitism attacks against Jewish students on campus were reported, according to i24 News. (RELATED: Former Ivy League Student Faces Hate Crime Charges After Allegedly Assaulting Israeli Student)
“In the same way that the University defends other groups from this sort of disgusting conduct, it is essential to do the same for Jewish and Israeli students. To do otherwise would betray our ideals and the values of Columbia as a great university,” the open letter stated.
One Columbia professor, Shai Davidai, was recently recorded slamming the pro-Hamas student groups as well as the university for not condemning their actions. Davidai specifically called out the university’s president, challenging her to remove the alleged “pro-terror” groups from the school. (RELATED: Columbia Professor Blasts ‘Pro-Terror Student Organizations,’ Calls President ‘Coward’ In Fiery Rant)
The Daily Caller has reached out to both Columbia University and Barnard College for comment.