Minouche Shafik has resigned as President of Columbia University, US media reported on Wednesday, just weeks before the start of the new academic year. Her resignation comes in the wake of intense national scrutiny following pro-Palestinian protests at the university and other campuses across the United States.
The protests, which erupted in response to US support for Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza, became a flashpoint in debates about Israel and Palestine.At Columbia, critics accused the protests of veering into anti-Semitism and intimidation, leading to Shafik being questioned before Congress alongside other university presidents. They were accused of failing to ensure the safety of Jewish students on campus.
Protesters, including some Jewish individuals, contended that the criticisms were conflating anti-Israel sentiment with anti-Semitism and that allegations of hate incidents were being used to deflect from calls for a ceasefire amidst the escalating civilian casualties in Gaza.
In an email to the Columbia community, Shafik said, “Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead.” She emphasized her desire for new leadership to be in place before the academic term begins, according to the Columbia Spectator.
The nationwide protests saw buildings occupied and occasional clashes with police. Pro-Israel counter-protesters also clashed with demonstrators at times. US House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had earlier condemned the protests as “terrorism,” welcomed Shafik’s resignation in a statement on Wednesday.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in significant casualties, with Hamas’s attack on October 7 killing 1,198 people in Israel, according to AFP. Israel’s retaliatory actions have led to the deaths of at least 39,965 people in Gaza, as reported by the territory’s health ministry, without distinguishing between civilians and militants.
The protests, which erupted in response to US support for Israel’s campaign against Hamas in Gaza, became a flashpoint in debates about Israel and Palestine.At Columbia, critics accused the protests of veering into anti-Semitism and intimidation, leading to Shafik being questioned before Congress alongside other university presidents. They were accused of failing to ensure the safety of Jewish students on campus.
Protesters, including some Jewish individuals, contended that the criticisms were conflating anti-Israel sentiment with anti-Semitism and that allegations of hate incidents were being used to deflect from calls for a ceasefire amidst the escalating civilian casualties in Gaza.
In an email to the Columbia community, Shafik said, “Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead.” She emphasized her desire for new leadership to be in place before the academic term begins, according to the Columbia Spectator.
The nationwide protests saw buildings occupied and occasional clashes with police. Pro-Israel counter-protesters also clashed with demonstrators at times. US House Speaker Mike Johnson, who had earlier condemned the protests as “terrorism,” welcomed Shafik’s resignation in a statement on Wednesday.
The ongoing conflict in Gaza has resulted in significant casualties, with Hamas’s attack on October 7 killing 1,198 people in Israel, according to AFP. Israel’s retaliatory actions have led to the deaths of at least 39,965 people in Gaza, as reported by the territory’s health ministry, without distinguishing between civilians and militants.
Source : Times of India
