Columbia University organises discussion to justify, normalise Hamas rape, murder

Columbia University, which has drawn people’s ire for extending support to Hamas’ “military action” on Israel, has now gone a level up by announcing “a teach-in and discussion” on “significance of the October 7th Palestinian counteroffensive.” The School of Social Work at the Columbia University has released a poster of holding the discussion on 6 December on campus. The invitation was shared on X by Shai Davidai, who is an assistant professor of management at the Columbia Business School, and who grew up in Israel. Asking people to retweet his post, Davidai said: “IT’S TIME FOR ALL OF US TO RAISE OUR VOICES! The School of Social Work at @Colubmia University CANNOT allow a “teach-in” that sees rape as a “counteroffensive” and calls murder and kidnap of children “revolutionary violence”!”

In an interview with CBS News, Davidai said he was shocked to his core by the Hamas atrocities on 7 October, and then by what he saw as the university’s failure to condemn the perpetrators by name. People have expressed their anger with a few of them asking the university to “do something about this” and “make the right choice.”

Addressing the Columbia University, another user said: “This is appalling that you are allowing this teach-in which calls Oct 7 a ‘counteroffensive’.  And you are allowing them to do so on university grounds.  You should cancel this ’teach-in’ because they are trashing your school’s reputation.”

“This is terrorist. Straight out,” wrote another user.

“Rape, kidnapping, torture and  murder are not justifiable for fighting oppression. They are crimes against humanity. Columbia School of Social Work  - you’ve abandoned the upholding of the basic human rights, basic principles of social work. You have lost all credibility to teach SW,” said another user.

‘Will not feel safe on campus’ In a post on X, a student of the University said, “I lost multiple friends at the nova festival. I will not feel safe on campus while this is happening. This is the rhetoric of justifying worldly regarded terrorism. This must not go on at Columbia University.”

A user also pointed out that the invitation has a dove symbol on it. The bird is used as a sign of peace.

The CBS News report further said leaders of students supporting Israel and Students of Justice in Palestine, both feel “unsafe on the campus of Columbia University” which has been the site of ongoing heated protests over the Israel-Hamas war. In October, days after the war began, more than 100 professors of the Columbia University came together to sign a letter in support of students who expressed their views on the conflict between Israel and Hamas. The students voiced their support for Hamas’ “military action” in Israel on October 7. With demonstrations picking up pace, some of the university’s prominent donors have threatened to withhold their financial contributions. To contain protests, the Columbia University campus gates have been kept locked with entrances being guarded by NYPD (New York Police Department).