The ongoing protests at Columbia University have broken-down as President Minouche Shafik admitted that talks with anti-Israel protestors have failed.
The administration is desperate to explore internal options to end the crisis, following extreme pressure form Israeli Lobbies and donors.
US senators are pressuring the board
While other universities have resorted to police crackdowns to remove protestors, Columbia has refrained from such actions. However, pressure is mounting as Senators are pressuring the university’s board to take decisive action to disband the encampment.
Breakdown in discussions with anti-Israel protesters
President Shafik expressed regret that an agreement could not be reached with the protestors, despite efforts to find a collaborative resolution.
She emphasized that while the university supports the right to peaceful protest, it cannot tolerate an environment that is hostile and unwelcoming to certain groups of students.
The protestors argue that the hostility is coming from police officers who are man handling Palestinians violently and without cause, and the protests are being met with hostile Israeli mobs, who have Mossad agents operating in them.
Columbia University faces the challenge of balancing free speech for a protest against Israeli genocide, whilst trying to appease the Israeli Lobbies, who are big funders to the university.