Columbia suspends pro-Israel professor over alleged harassment

[Karah Rucker]

SINCE LAST SPRING, COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY HAS BEEN GROUND ZERO FOR PROTESTS OVER THE ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR IN GAZA. 

NOW THE SCHOOL IS MAKING MORE HEADLINES AFTER SUSPENDING A PRO-ISRAEL PROFESSOR FROM CAMPUS …

AFTER HE PUBLICLY CRITICIZED SCHOOL OFFICIALS FOR ALLOWING ANTI-ISRAEL PROTESTS. 

SHAI DAVIDAI (shy dahv-ee-die) IS AN OUTSPOKEN ADVOCATE OF ISRAEL ON CAMPUS.

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY OFFICIALS SAY THEY HAVE RESPECTED HIS RIGHT TO FREE SPEECH, BUT SAY HE HAS “HARASSED AND INTIMIDATED” OTHER SCHOOL EMPLOYEES. 

EARLIER THIS YEAR A GROUP OF PRO-PALESTINE STUDENTS ALSO FILED A FORMAL COMPLAINT AGAINST DAVIDAI CLAIMING HE INTENTIONALLY PUT VULNERABLE STUDENTS AT RISK THROUGH HIS ACTIONS. 

DAVIDAI POSTED A SERIES OF VIDEOS ON SOCIAL MEDIA SHOWING HIMSELF AT A CAMPUS PROTEST OCTOBER SEVENTH – THE ANNIVERSARY OF THE HAMAS ATTACK.

ONE OF THE VIDEOS SHOWS HIM CONFRONTING COLUMBIA CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER CAS HOLLOWAY … FOR ALLEGEDLY LETTING THE DEMONSTRATIONS HAPPEN. 

Allowing this on Oct 7, Cas what do you have to say … excuse me shai .. im standing here im walking with you .. this how they walked with you.. Im walking with you.. What do you have to say.. How did you allow this to happen on Oct 7.. Im sorry shai please excuse me.. Im walking with you im not obstructing.. Public safety officers said this is no obstruction. So im walking with you.. Are you stopping this.

A UNIVERSITY SPOKESPERSON SAID DAVIDAI’S SUSPENSION FROM CAMPUS IS TEMPORARY WHILE HE GOES THROUGH BEHAVIORAL TRAINING. 

THE SUSPENSION DOES NOT IMPACT HIS POSITION OR COMPENSATION. 

ON WEDNESDAY, DAVIDAI SPOKE OUT ABOUT HIS CHOICE TO PROTEST AND THE UNIVERSITY’S DECISION TO SUSPEND HIM 

Cas halloway the COO of Columbia is not worthy of my anger .. he’s just not. Some people are petty.. Some people are too small. He’s not even a character in this story. He is a pawn. As are many administrators. The problem is sometimes the pawns are the ones that determine the game. 

DAVIDAI SAID HE WILL KEEP FIGHTING FOR WHAT HE BELIEVES IN – BUT SAID HE’S UNSURE OF HIS NEXT STEPS. 

THE TURMOIL OVER ISRAEL-HAMAS WAR PROTESTS AT COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY ULTIMATELY LED PRESIDENT MINOUCHE SHAFIK (Meh-noosh shah-feek) TO RESIGN. 

THIS CAME AFTER THREE COLUMBIA DEANS RESIGNED FOLLOWING ALLEGED TEXT MESSAGES THAT INCLUDED ANTISEMITIC TROPES. 

CONGRESSIONAL REPUBLICANS ARE CONDUCTING AN ONGOING INVESTIGATION INTO ALLEGATIONS OF ANTISEMITISM AT THE UNIVERSITY. 

FOR STRAIGHT ARROW NEWS I’M KARAH RUCKER. 

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