Columbia Task Force Releases Final Report Detailing Harassment of Jewish and Israeli Students

Columbia University’s antisemitism task force has released a nearly 70-page final report documenting repeated incidents in which Jewish and Israeli students were reportedly harassed in classrooms and other campus settings. The review, compiled after listening sessions with students and faculty, outlines specific allegations, classroom disruptions, and institutional gaps that the panel says must be addressed.

Background: The task force was established in November 2023 following protests that erupted at Columbia after the Oct. 7 attacks and the subsequent Israel–Hamas war. Dozens of students were arrested during anti‑Israel demonstrations and a weeks‑long encampment on campus. This document is the fourth report in a series examining Columbia’s response to allegations of antisemitism and related campus policies.

Reported Incidents: The report recounts multiple accounts in which students were singled out or harassed during class. Examples include an Israeli student who had served in the Israel Defense Forces being told she should be considered "one of the murderers," and a separate allegation that an instructor accused "three major Jewish donors" of giving money to "launder blood money" while referring to Israel as "so‑called Israel."

In January, protesters reportedly entered a course taught by a visiting Israeli professor; the task force concluded the group appeared to target the class because of the professor’s background and the course’s focus on Zionism. Several students also described instructors introducing political condemnations of Israel into coursework that bore no clear connection to the subject being taught. One non‑Israeli Jewish student said they were told, "It's such a shame that your people survived in order to commit mass genocide."

Low Memorial Library on the campus of Columbia University in New York City.

Institutional Findings: Beyond individual complaints, the task force found a broader institutional issue: Columbia "lacks full‑time tenure‑line faculty expertise in Middle East history, politics, political economy and policy that is not explicitly anti‑Zionist." The panel framed this gap as limiting the range of perspectives available to students and contributing to a charged campus climate.

Recommendations: To address these problems, the task force urged Columbia to:

• Adopt clearer, more specific policies on harassment and discrimination tied to protected identities;
• Strengthen and diversify faculty expertise in Middle East studies, including hiring tenure‑line faculty whose work is not explicitly anti‑Zionist;
• Consistently enforce anti‑discrimination rules and ensure accountability for violations;
• Balance protections for academic freedom with safeguards against targeted harassment and exclusionary behavior in classrooms and campus spaces.

Political Context: The report comes amid public scrutiny of universities nationwide over allegations of antisemitism; it notes criticism of Columbia from national political figures, including President Donald Trump, who has publicly criticized several universities for how they responded to related campus protests.

University Response: Columbia referred inquiries to an online statement by Acting President Claire Shipman thanking the task force for its work. In that statement she said,

"The work of this task force has been an essential part of the University’s efforts to address the challenges faced by our Jewish students, faculty, and staff. I have been heartened by the thoughtful and effective changes we have made over the course of the last two years and by the determination to forge a better future for our University displayed by so many members of our community."

The task force’s findings and recommendations now join ongoing discussions among university leaders, faculty, and students about how to respond to reported harassment and how to strengthen institutional protections while preserving robust academic debate.