Tel Aviv : Decrying the Columbia University crisis, Israel's Foreign Minister, Israel Katz said that he is appalled by the wave of antisemitism that is going on there. He said that the Jewish students deserve safety and respect by all means, as he urged the US officials to take due action to combat the surge in violence.
In a post on X, Katz wrote, "Appalled by the vile wave of antisemitism @Columbia Silence is complicity!" "I urge @NYCMayor, U.S. officials and leaders to take immediate, unequivocal action to combat this scourge. Jewish students deserve safety, respect, and action, not just words," he said, adding that Israel stands firm with them.
Katz made the remarks through a post on X, ahead of the first day of Passover, a major Jewish holiday set to begin on Monday evening (April 22). The Passover holiday begins on Monday when Jews are traditionally read through the Haggadah, which recounts the story of the Israelites' freedom from slavery and exodus from Egypt.
A rabbi (spiritual leader) connected to the Ivy League university encouraged Jewish students to stay at home, and tense clashes on campus prompted censure from the White House and New York politicians.
As we approach Passover, Columbia University is experiencing a full-blown crisis. Because of the intense atmosphere, Columbia administrators have declared that starting today, students will be able to virtually attend classes and maybe even take tests.
Following Hamas' October 7 terror strike on Israel, tensions have been high at Columbia University and at many other universities. But after university representatives testified before Congress last week regarding antisemitism on campus and the rise in pro-Palestinian demonstrations on and around campus, the situation at Columbia has gotten worse in recent days, according to CNN.
The conflict in Gaza escalated after the October 7 attack by Hamas, where about 2,500 terrorists breached the border into Israel from the Gaza Strip, leading to casualties and the seizure of hostages.
Israel has, from then, characterised its Gaza offensive as targeting Hamas' infrastructure with the goal of eliminating the entire terror group while making efforts to minimize civilian casualties.