Hundreds of pro-Palestinian activists gathered at Columbia University on Wednesday to protest former Israeli prime minister Naftali Bennett, who was speaking at the university as part of a campaign against the BDS movement, which advocates for a boycott of Israel.
The protesters, who chanted "Free Palestine" and called for Bennett to be barred from speaking, accused him of being a "war criminal."
Protest against Bennet at the university
In flyers for the demonstration, the anti-Israel group Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP) claimed Bennett had previously boasted about killing many Arabs and said he had "no problem with that."
Another flyer quoted Bennett as saying he would do everything in his power to ensure that "Palestinians will never have their own state," and referred to Palestinian children as "terrorists."
Despite the protests, Bennett entered the university and completed his lecture. He will continue his U.S. tour at Ohio University. The former prime minister made the decision to speak at universities known for their strong anti-Israel sentiment to engage with students in support of Israel.
Bennett responded to the protest later on his Telegram account, writing, "Anti-Israel BDS activists at Columbia University tried to stop me from speaking to students. They failed.”
“For two hours, I spoke with hundreds of students about the just war we are fighting against a horrific Islamist terror cult and our right to the land (I explained to them, in terms they understand, that we Jews are the Indigenous people of Israel). We do not remain silent in the face of violence,” he added.
Get the Ynetnews app on your smartphone: Google Play: https://bit.ly/4eJ37pE | Apple App Store: https://bit.ly/3ZL7iNv
Since the start of the war in Gaza, Columbia has become a focal point for pro-Palestinian protests across U.S. campuses. In April 2024, a student group took over Hamilton Hall to protest the suspension of previous demonstrators, leading to intervention by the NYPD and the arrest of hundreds of students.
Then-president Minouche Shafik faced harsh criticism for calling in police and later announced that law enforcement would no longer be allowed on campus to remove protesters. In August, she resigned, partly due to backlash over her handling of the demonstrations. Columbia’s new president, Professor Katrina Armstrong, has since publicly apologized to pro-Palestinian students for the administration’s response.
Pro-Palestinian students blocking the dean’s office
Last week, several dozen pro-Palestinian students reenacted past protests, blocking the dean’s office at Barnard College, Columbia’s women’s college. They refused to remove their masks or discuss their demands with administrators.
One staff member was assaulted during the incident and required medical treatment. Barnard College Dean Professor Laura Rosenbury said that the demonstrators caused $30,000 in damages, broke into a food pantry for low-income students and attacked a college official who encountered them while trying to access the restrooms.