Columbia University Takes Action Against Professor for Harassment

Columbia University has made the decision to temporarily suspend a prominent pro-Israel professor from its campus due to allegations of repeated harassment and intimidation directed towards university staff. Shai Davidai, an assistant professor at the business school, has emerged as a contentious figure since the onset of the Israel-Hamas conflict on October 7, 2023, which has escalated tensions surrounding the ongoing violence in Gaza.

Professor Davidai has openly criticized the university for what he perceives as a lack of action against pro-Palestinian demonstrations, which he claims often cross the line into antisemitism and support for terrorism. His approach has included recording videos of student activists and university administrators, sharing them on social media platforms, and drawing sharp criticism from those who believe his actions violate standards of civility and institutional policies.

In recent days, Davidai has utilized his X account, which boasts over 100,000 followers, to make serious accusations against various student groups, alleging their support for terrorism. He has also publicly shared the name and email address of a Columbia professor, suggesting that this individual was “OK with rape, murder, torture, and kidnapping.” Additionally, he incorrectly labeled Rashid Khalidi, a respected Palestinian scholar at Columbia who is set to retire, as a “spokesperson for Hamas.”

Just last week, coinciding with the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, Professor Davidai recorded videos of himself following Cas Holloway, Columbia’s chief operating officer, closely for several minutes, bombarding him with questions regarding the university’s allowance of pro-Palestinian protests on that significant date. In one video, he demanded, “How did you allow this to happen on Oct. 7?” while the background resonated with pro-Palestinian chants and activism. He further insisted, “You have to do your job. And I will not let you rest if they won’t let us rest.”

The university formally informed Professor Davidai of its decision on Tuesday. While he declined an interview request from the media, he took to social media later that night to post a video filled with expletives, in which he asserted his intention to sue the university over its ruling, declaring emphatically, “I am not going anywhere.”