Israel’s Columbia professor wants Trump to block certain institutions from receiving federal funding
Universities and colleges across the U.S. have faced anti-Semitic and anti-Israel activity since Oct. 7 in a brutal attack by Hamas. However, not only students but also teachers participated.
Columbia Business School Associate Professor Shai Davide is calling on President Donald Trump to issue an executive order barring federal funding from institutions that hire professors who support designated terrorist organizations.
President Donald Trump signs documents issuing executive orders and pardons Jan. 6 in the Oval Office of the White House during his inauguration on Jan. 20, 2025, in Washington. (Reuters/Carlos Baria)
In a repost of the anti-Semitic hashtag on Columbia’s Jewish campus, David urged Trump to take action.
“I think it’s time for the president to sign a very simple executive order: No federal funding for private institutions that hire professors who support terrorist organizations in the United States,” Davide wrote.
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David believes that Columbia violated the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and “should not receive federal funding” based on the hiring and promotion of terrorist-supporting faculty.
“Over the past 15 months, we’ve seen clear support for the destruction of the state of Israel,” Davide told Fox News Digital. “Not only criticism of the Israeli government, but the presence of Israel and Israelis on university campuses, not only by students, but also by professors.”
Monday, April 29, 2024 Student protesters march around the campus of Columbia University in New York. (AP Photo/Stephen Jeremiah)
However, Davide emphasized that this is not just an Israeli issue, but an American issue. He notes that the provocateurs echo the rhetoric of Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps, regarding Israel as the “little devil” and America as the “big devil.”
“This is anti-Americanism. They hate America, they say, I’m not the one to put words in their mouths.”
Columbia University became a hotbed of anti-Israel and anti-Semitic activity following the October 7 attacks, with then-President Minuche Shafiq protesting the situation in lawmakers. Despite the change in university leadership, anti-Israel activists are still active on campus.
Last week, anti-Israel activists disrupted a lecture on the modern history of Israel taught by visiting professor Avi Shilon at Israel’s Tel Aviv Academic College. Due to its proximity to Israel’s northern border, Tel Hay faces the threat of Hezbollah attacks.
“Just like Hezbollah won’t let him teach a class in Israel, here in New York City, Hezbollah supporters won’t let him come into his class and teach,” Davide said.
Columbia students protested against anti-Israel protesters who threw anti-Semitic leaflets into classrooms.
A passenger who hosted Adams accused him of leaving the state in recent days while anti-Israel activists were being detained by police at Columbia University. (Peter Gerber)
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Columbia did not respond to a request for comment. However, after the incident, interim president Katrina Armstrong He issued a statement..
“Today, the history of modern Israel was disrupted by protestors handing out leaflets. We strongly condemn this disruption and the violent imagery of the leaflets that are unacceptable on our campus and in our community. No student group has the right. Disrupting academic activities to disrupt a group of students in a Columbia classroom is a violation of university ethics and the disruptive nature of others.” It may be a violation of university policies, the statement read.
“We will move swiftly to investigate and resolve this act. We want to make it absolutely clear that any form of anti-Semitism or any other form of discrimination, harassment or intimidation against members of our community is unacceptable and will not be tolerated.”