Page 37 - Issue 63

Vol.1 Issue 63 January 2024Vol.1 Issue 63, May 2024 ELITE

Shafik’s Effect

Abdelrahman Sakr- Second year- Economics

As Minouche Shafik, Columbia an born in Egypt in Alexandria, went too
University’s President, testified before far that she contradicted her own

the House committee on education in religious beliefs when asked about some
17th of April, students at the university clauses from the bible. <If you bless
held demonstrations, calling the Israel, I will bless you. If you curse

university to divest endowments from Israel, I will curse you. Do you want
Israeli firms and any weapons Columbia to be Cursed by God?= asked

manufacturers that sell there, end Rick Allen, a republican from Georgia.
academic partnerships with Israeli <Definitely not=, replied Shafik. Most

institutions; and condemn Israel’s Importantly, when asked whether there
actions in the war. should be consequences to antisemitic

Shafik, not keen on losing her position chants as they are antisemitic behavior,
like Lizz Magill of the University of she gave them what they wanted to hear,
Pennsylvania and Claudine Gay of a <yes=. This very same question was the

Harvard, wanted to make sure she does one that got the President of Harvard
not look weak. She Failed, hugely. and UPenn under fire because they said

Learning from what happened to her it <depends on the context=.
peers, her answers to the questions of the Following the hearing Shafik needed to

committee were much appeasing to the assert her position by acting rough with
Pro-Israel members of the congress. She protests, so she asked the NYPD to

boasted that she had suspended 15 intervene. 100 students were arrested,
students, and that Columbia University including Isra Hirsi, daughter of
was one of the firsts to suspend Justice Minnesota Congresswoman Ilhan Omar,

for Palestine and Jewish Voice for Peace. who criticized Shafik for her response to
She also called <River to the sea= and Prop-Palestine students’ harassment.
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<Intifada= chants antisemitic and This led to backlash, however. Students
<frightening=. Shafik, a Muslim Americ- made an encampment just the next day