The United States is witnessing widespread student protests that began on April 17 at Columbia University and escalated after the university's president, Nemat Shafiq, called in the New York Police to the campus to break up the students' sit-in. Universities across the country, including New York University, Yale University, George Washington University, Emory University, University of Minnesota, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and others, have joined the protests demanding an end to the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip.
From April 27, the protests spread to universities in European countries, notably Sciences Po in Paris, France, and Oxford in the U.K. Students demonstrated to denounce their university’s hosting of former Speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives, Nancy Pelosi, a supporter of Israel.
Following these developments, various media, political personalities, and institutions have taken a stance against the demonstrations, accusing them of resorting to violence and adopting anti-Semitic rhetoric that causes concern for Jewish students and staff at universities.
Israel Supporters Claim Being Attacked at Pro-Palestine Protests
Recently, videos have spread on social media platforms in which supporters of Israel accuse demonstrators at American universities of violence and anti-Semitism during student protests in support of the Palestinians.
Among these videos is one featuring a girl named Karen calling police while at a student protest camp at Northwestern University in Illinois. “I'm a Jewish American and I need your help. Please come help me. I'm really scared,” Karen said over the phone. She added, “Northwestern University students surround me and threaten me. They carry signs. I need help. They are surrounding me and not letting me leave. Please help me.”
Meanwhile, one of the protest participants stood near Karen and deliberately spoke loudly so that the other person on the phone could hear her: “No one is going to hurt her. No one is going to attack her. This person is not in danger...She is free to move. She can leave.”
Another video showed a man at a protest gathering in Pennsylvania deliberately hitting his head with one of the Palestinian flags raised by protesters and then shouting, “Don't hit me with your flag. Hit me with that flag again and you'll see what happens to you. Don't hit me with that flag. Shame on you.” One of the protesters responded, “I recorded a video of you.”
At the same time, a video circulated showing a woman wearing a T-shirt with the word “Jewish” written on the front and featuring the Star of David and the word “Israel” on the back. During pro-Palestinian demonstrations at Yale University, she stood and repeated that she is Jewish and not afraid. However, none of the protesters paid any attention to her.
Some Palestinian activists also posted another video on social media, with a description stating that; “Provocation Unnoticed: Attempts by a Women in Support of the Occupation to Stoke a Controversy Over Alleged Anti Semitism Fall Flat at Yale University.”
In another incident, an anti-protester stormed the Gaza Solidarity Camp at the University of California at dawn, carrying the American and Israeli flags, and began wandering among the tents of the sleeping protesters, shouting: “Good morning, Vietnam. Wake up, communists. Wake up. Wake up.” Trying to get their attention.
Netanyahu Likens the Pro-Palestine Protests at American Universities to the Nazi Movement in the 1930s
On April 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the demonstrations taking place at American universities, demanding an end to the conflict in Gaza, as "unreasonable," "terrifying," and "must be stopped." Additionally, he accused the participating students of anti-Semitism and likened the demonstrations to the events that occurred at German universities during the 1930s when the Nazi movement was at its height.
In a post on the X platform, Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant criticized the protests, saying that "The protests taking place on U.S. college campuses are not only antisemitic but also inciting terrorism." He added, "To our Jewish brothers and sisters; we stand with you. Act now to defend Jewish youth."
In turn, U.S. President Joe Biden described the protests as "anti-Semitic protests" and said that the protesters do not understand what is happening in Palestine.
Former President and Republican presidential candidate, Donald Trump, also described it as "chaotic" and demanded that it be stopped immediately.
Congresswoman Elise Stefanik, for her part, called on April 29 for the withdrawal of visas from foreign students who are being arrested at their universities on charges of anti-Semitism.
During the congressional hearing on December 5, 2023, for the presidents of MIT, Harvard, and Pennsylvania universities, amid the student movement against the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip after the Operation Al-Aqsa Flood on October 7, 2023, Elise Stefanik reiterated her question to the university presidents, "Does calling for the genocide of Jews violate Universities’ rules on bullying and harassment?"
In a December 11, 2023, article published in the British newspaper The Guardian, Mustafa Bayoumi describes this question as a "Trap." Bayoumi’s main points are as follows: firstly, there is no proof of any calls for the genocide of Jews on college campuses; secondly, the principle of the right to freedom of expression protects even the most extreme expressions; and thirdly, Stefanik has acknowledged that phrases like "Intifada" and "From the river to the sea, free Palestine" constitute calls for the genocide of Jews. Notably, the presidents of the universities of Pennsylvania and Harvard resigned shortly after the hearing.
American Media Figures and Outlets Accuse the Protests of Anti-Semitism
In an article entitled “College students aren't having enough sex—so they're turning to anti-Israel protests,” The New York Post quoted statements from New York University professor Scott Galloway made on “The Real Time” program with journalist Bill Maher. Galloway remarked that college campuses were increasingly resembling Nazi Germany.
Galloway also stated, “college students don't have enough sex, so they chase fake threats, and throughout history, the most popular threats are anti-Semitism.” The article further explained that former CNN anchor Don Lemon was present at this meeting and agreed with Professor Galloway's statements.
In another story, The New York Post used the headline of a story about the police dispersal of the Portland State University protests on May 2, stating, “Improvised weaponry and barricades found inside Portland State University as cops in riot gear arrest pro-terrorist demonstrators in violent clashes.”
During a video interview, a New York Police official displayed thick iron chains and asserted that demonstrators at Columbia University were utilizing them as weapons. However, a reporter from a New York City newspaper informed him that the university used these chains to secure bicycles, and she even presented evidence to support her claim. The police official then gave a dejected nod and left the scene.
A Claim Suggests the Columbia University Police Raid Was Due to a Terrorist’s Wife’s Presence
In a post on the X platform on May 2, CBS News correspondent Ali Bauman wrote, “Breaking: New York City Hall sources tell CBS News the evidence that the wife of a known terrorist is with the protesters on Columbia University campus.” Bauman deleted her post after facing criticism for referring to the presence of the wife of political activist and professor at the University of South Florida, Sami Al-Arian, who was arrested in the United States in 2003 before being deported out of the country.
A report by The Intercept website confirmed that Nahla Al-Arian was at the university for less than an hour with her daughter. The report added that she was sleeping in Virginia on the night of the raid on Columbia University. However, the rumor of her presence at the university at the time of the raid stemmed from New York Mayor Eric Adams’ claim that the police’s decision to raid Columbia University was due to Nahla Al-Erian’s presence on the university’s campus there.
A report by The Intercept confirmed that Nahla Al-Erian was at the university for only an hour. Despite the Intercept's previous report, Adams continued to repeat his claim on various media platforms, including CBS Mornings and Morning Edition.
Although the New York Police Department admitted on May 1 during a press conference that Nahla Al-Arian was not at the university during the raids, Rebecca Weiner, the New York Police Department's Deputy Commissioner for Intelligence and Counterterrorism, said that “last week there was the wife of a person who was convicted of providing financial support to terrorism on campus.”
“We have no evidence of any criminal wrongdoing on her part, but this is not someone I would necessarily want impacting my child if I were the parent of a student in Colombia,” she added.
Israeli actress Noa Tishby also published a photo of Nahla Al-Erian at Columbia University, claiming that she was convicted of financing terrorism, despite no report or news was published indicating her involvement in terrorist financing or any other related cases.
On May 1, The New York Post published an article titled “Wife of convicted terrorist Sami Al-Erian was hanging out at Columbia encampment before dramatic raid.” A day later, Fox News published an article entitled “Colombia ‘rot‘ on display as deported terrorist professor praises his wife’s joining mob.”
The case of Sami Al-Arian, which began during the era of former U.S. President George W. Bush, shortly before the invasion of Iraq, was described as a political case. He was not convicted on charges of financing terrorism. Rather, the public prosecutors responsible for his case stated in 2003 that he had no connection to any violence after they failed to provide evidence of this.
Jewish University Professors and Organizations Participate in the University Movement
Students, professors, and Jewish organizations such as “Jewish Voice for Peace,” “Jews for a Ceasefire,” “Harvard Jews for Peace,” and the “The Chavurah at Penn” group participate in the American university protests.
Among the participating Jewish organizations is the “Atidna” organization, which seeks dialogue with others. Its founder, Elijah Kahlenberg, a Jewish student at the University of Texas specializing in Jewish studies, government, and Middle Eastern affairs, describes the current war in Gaza as genocide and is therefore participating in the ongoing university protests.
A number of Jewish rabbis are also participating in these protests. One of them appeared on the podium at New York University in a video, describing the students as intelligent and curious, asking questions out of their thirst for knowledge. He also accused those labeling them as anti-Semites of trying to silence them.
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