AhlulBayt News Agency: Columbia University assistant professor Shai Davidai has officially left the institution under a mutual agreement and will not return to teaching, following allegations of harassment against pro-Palestinian students and staff.
Davidai, a non-tenured faculty member at Columbia Business School, became a controversial figure due to his outspoken pro-Israel activism and confrontational behavior, leading to widespread criticism and restricted campus access.
Dean Costis Maglaras confirmed Davidai’s departure in a faculty-wide email, stating that his exit was effective July 8, 2025.
In a post on X, Davidai claimed he left because he no longer trusted Columbia’s leadership to address what he called anti-Jewish, anti-Israel, and anti-American sentiment on campus.
He had previously criticized Columbia and other universities for their handling of pro-Palestinian protest encampments opposing Israel’s war in Gaza.
Davidai’s confrontations with students and staff raised concerns, including an incident where he compared university officials to Nazi leaders.
In April, Columbia revoked his campus access card after further complaints, assigning him off-campus office space and requiring conduct training.
Over 13,000 students signed a petition demanding his dismissal, citing his use of social media to harass and target Palestinian students, including those grieving family losses in Gaza.
Students Mohsen Mahdawi and Mahmoud Khalil, who were detained without charge, said Davidai had advocated for their deportation online.
Meanwhile, President Donald Trump has begun implementing a plan to deport non-citizen student activists involved in pro-Palestinian protests across U.S. campuses.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated that at least 300 foreign student visas have been revoked.
Trump officials claim these students pose a threat to U.S. foreign policy due to their opposition to Israel’s ongoing war in Gaza, which has killed over 57,700 Palestinians.
/129
Your Comment