Please enable JavaScript to access this page.
Breaking News

What the assault on Columbia University is really about | Opinions

The Trump administration war on the campus opposition reached a new and worrying landmark. On March 8, ICE and Customs enforcement officers, Mahmoud Khalil, a graduate of the recent Colombia University and a prominent organizer in the Gaza Solidarity camp on the campus. Days later, the Ministry of Internal Security (DHS) announced that it had canceled the Ranjani Srinifasan visa, a student student in Colombia, and was arrested by Lika Kordia, a former student in Colombia.

In parallel, the administration of President Donald Trump canceled grants and federal contracts worth $ 400 million that the university was receiving and demanded that it be placed in the Middle East and South Asia and the Department of African Studies under “academic guard for a period of not less than five years”.

Colombia, for its part, announced that it expels students and cancels the degrees of participants in the occupation of one of its buildings, Hamilton Hall, who was named Hind, after Hind Rajab, a six -year -old Palestinian girl killed by the Israeli army in Gaza.

The university eventually surrendered to the comprehensive Trump administration demands – prohibiting masks, reforming its disciplinary procedures, appointing the accredited academic supervisor, and expanding the police authorities on the campus – despite its extensive condemnation of legal scholars and experts.

This unprecedented attack on freedom of expression and opposition on the campus is a new stage in the weapon of anti -Semitism accusations. What started as the restrictions of speech and disciplinary actions on the campus now developed into arrests, deportation, monitoring and direct intervention in university affairs.

The final end game is not just suppressing the pro -Palestinians activity, but rather ideological control of higher education in the United States. Assault on universities is part of wider right efforts to reshape academic circles to an ideological stronghold of conservative nationalism.

Trump explained this during his campaign, saying that he aims to “restore our great educational institutions that were one day of the left radicalism and Marxist madness.” The targeting of Palestinian activity is just an excuse – a leading vehicle in the procession to dismantle academic independence and impose ideological conformity.

It is important to remember that the attack on American higher education, which is now escalating Trump, started years before pressure on universities in the United States, as well as in Canada and Europe, to adopt the definition of the IHRA (IHRA) to combat Semitism.

IHRA provided a practical definition of anti-Semitism in 2016, where she presented examples-two of which included criticism of Israel. Initially, the definition was intended to help apply the law and provide a research tool for tracing anti -anti -anti -anti -anti -accidental accidents. But over time, continuous pressure efforts led to its adoption by various governments and institutions.

The pressure on universities came to implement the definition in their internal affairs when the positions towards Israel began to transform, especially among American youth. This unanimous change has long threatened the two parties in the United States for unconditional support for Israel, which makes it necessary for Israeli supporters’ advocates to create new defense lines.

On campus, IHRA definition began primarily using sting tactics, which led to harassment, dexing and reputation damage to those who criticized Israel. Professors, students and activists were classified as anti -Semitic and undergoing campaigns designed to intimidate them in silence.

But after the October 7 attacks, the attack on the supporters of the Palestinian and the activity escalated significantly: the professors were launched, the students’ groups were banned, the speakers were taken, and now, the deportation and the deportation are being arrested.

Even the unprecedented campaign of repression has improved progressive Jewish societies. Universities began to suspend organizations such as the Jewish voice for peace and targeting Jewish academics who criticize Israel.

For example, Mora Venkelstein, an independent Jewish professor, from Michelinberg College in Pennsylvania, launched after her accusation of anti -Semitism for supporting the Palestinian liberation. She said in a statement after her dismissal last year.

The campaign to silence the Jewish votes criticizing the scientists of the University of Heva, Itamar Man and Ladha Yuna to warn it, in an article to review the California University Law in Los Angeles, legal frameworks such as IHRA definition are used to discipline the Jewish identity “and active suffocation of the balls. Their analysis highlights how IHRA definition narrows the scope of the Jewish identity, or to punish Jewish individuals who reject Zionism or criticize Israel. As a result, Jews who are in line with anti-Zionist traditions-including many religious and progressive voices-find themselves marginalized within their societies.

This repression emphasizes an essential fact: IHRA definition and accusations of anti -Semitism that politicians and institutions use have nothing to do with the protection of the Jewish people. Instead, it is an excuse to enhance a political agenda aimed at reshaping higher education in an ideological stronghold that spoils uncomfortable political views.

This is not just a Republican effort. Many Democrats adopt these authoritarian measures as well. Senator John Vitirman, frankly, praised Trump’s funding to Colombia, saying: “Colombia allows anti -Semitism to meet the needs of the mummified margins and paid beneficiaries.”

Actors Josh Jotimer, Richi Torres and dozens of others have also prompted more cruel measures against student demonstrators, align themselves with Trump’s broader campaign against pro -Palestinians.

Even the majority leader of the Senate Chuck Schumer, while he was calling for the release of Mahmoud Khalil, framed the protests on the campus supporting the Palestinians as “anti -Semitism”, which enhances the wrong narration that equals Palestinian activity with intolerance.

Democrats colluded with this attack on academic freedom not only with concerns about donors and influential interest groups, but also with their insecurity about the challenges facing the authority of the Foundation. Many Democrats support the opposition’s suppression on the campus of universities as part of a broader strategy to maintain control of the next generation of activists and intellectuals.

This campaign against American universities reflects the historical patterns of the repression of the state. During the fifties of the last century, McCarthy was charged with communisms to silence political opponents and purify the leftist thinkers of universities, Hollywood and government institutions. The Age witnessed the lists of blacks, the technical right, the mass fire, and even prison from the suspect of the left affiliation.

Despite its severity, Macareth eventually failed to erase leftist ideas from public places or universities. Over time, the violations of the red fear were subjected, and its main supporters were credible.

Likewise, today’s suppression of pro -Palestinians and the broader academic freedom may succeed in intimidating academic institutions and individuals in the short term, but it will fail to erase the ideas rooted in justice and liberation. To what extent will this new catastrophe depend on the will of the Americans to respond and protect their freedoms.

The opinions expressed in this article are the author of the author and do not necessarily reflect the position of the editorial island.

https://www.aljazeera.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/03/2025-03-21T224524Z_494421684_RC24BDA6Q6A7_RTRMADP_3_USA-TRUMP-COLUMBIA-1742733664.jpg?resize=1920%2C1440

2025-03-23 12:50:00

Related Articles

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Back to top button