Columbia University President Minouche Shafik carefully and repeatedly condemned antisemitism over the course of a nearly four-hour appearance before Congress on Wednesday. She denounced the speech and actions of some pro-Palestinian professors and student protesters. She made clear under questioning that she considers the oft-changed slogan “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” to be antisemitic, though she noted that other people don’t hear it as such.
But judging from the responses she received from Republicans on the House education committee, none of that might be enough to keep Shafik or Columbia—or its faculty members—from further Congressional scrutiny.
“We’re deeply disturbed by what we’re seeing at Columbia and many of the things we’re hearing in today’s hearing,” Representative Virginia Foxx, the North Carolina Republican who chairs the House Education and Workforce Committee, said after all the questions, answers and statements were done. “While some changes have begun on campus, there is still a significant amount of work.”
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