Columbia University bans pro-Israel professor from campus for ‘threatening behavior’

Columbia University assistant business professor and Israeli attorney Shai Davidai was barred Tuesday.

In a statement sent to Fox News Digital, the university confirmed that Davidi had been suspended, saying he had been “harassing and threatening” university staff.

The statement said Davidi’s suspension was “a direct result of Assistant Professor Davidi’s conduct on October 7, 2024,” although it did not elaborate on the incident in question.

David criticized this decision, saying it was revenge “for exposure[ing]”University staff in a video on Oct. 7 protesting on campus.

“[T]the University has decided not to allow me to be on campus anymore. My work. Why? Because of October 7. Because I wasn’t afraid to stand up to a hateful crowd,” said Davidi, according to the Columbia Daily Spectator. He wrote himself against the management.

“Columbia has consistently and consistently respected Professor Davidi’s right to free speech and expression. His freedom of expression has not been limited and is not limited now. However, Columbia does not tolerate threats, harassment, or other intimidating behavior by its employees,” said University spokeswoman Samantha Slater. .

He continued, “Because Professor Davidai’s assistant repeatedly harassed and threatened University staff in violation of University policy, we have temporarily restricted his access to the campus while he undergoes appropriate training on our policies governing the conduct of our staff.”

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Slater added that David is currently not teaching this semester and is only restricted from accessing the campus. He has not been suspended, and will still receive his compensation as a faculty member. David can return to campus after completing training on university policies.

“Education, training, access restrictions and other measures are available and used by the University when faculty and other employees violate University policy. As in other cases, our expectation is that Assistant Professor Davidi will successfully complete the training and return to the school immediately,” Slater said.

David reported the suspension on his X account on Tuesday. (Courtesy of Shai Davidai)

“I am the only suspended professor,” he told The Spectator. “Think of all the professors, and all they’ve done. You know, people who have said and posted horrible things, yet I’m the only one who’s been suspended.”

“It’s no longer a double standard,” David added. “There is no standard when it comes to Jewish life on campus.

David also wrote on X after reading the news, “I don’t care about my future. It’s never been about me. I care about the future of @Columbia. I care about what this acceptance of anti-Jewish, anti-Israeli, and anti-American terrorism means to students who are in higher education. Please rewrite this so people know.”

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Fox News Digital has reached out to David for comment.

Columbia University also reportedly blocked David’s key card in April. (Fox News Digital)

It was not the first time that David was banned from school. In April, he said his key card for the school’s main campus was blocked after he organized an anti-Israel protest against anti-Israel protesters.

“I don’t just have a civil right, a civil right as a Jewish person to be on campus. I have a right as a professor employed by the university to be on campus. They blocked my card,” Davidi told the protesters in the video. at that time.

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