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A number of Democrats successful nan Senate person joined their Republican colleagues successful denouncing favoritism against Jewish students astatine nan prestigious Ivy League Columbia University, wherever an anti-Israel solidarity encampment persists connected campus, prompting nan institution to move classes online connected Monday.
"Every American has a correct to protest," Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said successful a statement. "But erstwhile protests displacement to antisemitism, verbal abuse, intimidation, aliases glorification of Oct. 7 unit against Jewish people, that crosses nan line."
"Campuses must stay safe for each students."
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Sens. Kirsten Gillibrand and Chuck Schumer were among those to denounce antisemitism connected Columbia's campus, joining their Republican colleagues. (Getty Images)
Schumer, who represents New York City, wherever Columbia is located, is nan first Jewish mostly leader successful nan Senate and besides nan highest ranking Jewish elected charismatic successful U.S. history.
Last week, nan anti-Israel objection sprang up connected Columbia's campus, pinch students camping retired successful tents and demanding that nan assemblage divest from each companies pinch ties to Israel. Since then, nan protestation has grown successful size and presented a information threat to Jewish students. This has mushroomed into specified a interest that an Orthodox rabbi astatine nan schoolhouse advised Jewish students to time off field because "Columbia University’s Public Safety and nan NYPD cannot guarantee Jewish students’ safety."
A position of nan banners and Palestinian flags arsenic anti-Israeli agitators resume demonstrations connected Friday astatine Columbia University connected nan 3rd time of nan alleged "Gaza Solidarity Encampment" aft wide arrests by New York Police connected April 19, 2024. (Selcuk Acar/Anadolu via Getty Images)
New York Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand, different Democrat, besides denounced nan show of antisemitism astatine nan university, saying she was "appalled."
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"Threats of unit against Jewish students and nan Jewish organization are horrible, bad and wholly unacceptable," she said. "Using nan rhetoric of terrorists has nary spot successful New York, wherever we pridefulness ourselves connected tolerance and nan correct of each group to believe their belief successful peace."
Others who joined their statement members successful addressing nan encampment were Sens. Jacky Rosen, D-Nev., and John Fetterman, D-Penn.
U.S. Sen. Jacky Rosen, D-Nevada, speaks during a news convention connected June 16, 2023, astatine nan East Vegas Library. (Madeline Carter/Las Vegas Review-Journal/Tribune News Service via Getty Images)
"I’m outraged by nan vile displays of antisemitism astatine Columbia University, including threats of violence," publication a station connected X, formerly Twitter, from Rosen, who faces a reliable re-election conflict successful November successful plaything authorities Nevada.
Fetterman, who has emerged arsenic 1 of Israel's strongest supporters successful his party, compared nan objection to "Charlottesville for these Jewish students." Fetterman referenced nan 2017 "Unite nan Right" rally successful Virginia that drew hundreds of achromatic supremacists and yet turned violent, resulting successful nan decease of 1 woman.
"President Minouche Shafik: do your occupation aliases resign, truthful Columbia tin find personification who will," Fetterman added.
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While a number of Democrats person chosen to make nationalist statements connected nan events unfolding astatine Columbia, Sen. Tom Cotton, R-Ark., blamed nan statement for allowing it to hap successful nan first place. "The extremist anti-Israel protestors person ever been portion of nan Democratic Party’s base," he wrote connected X. "Now Joe Biden is utilizing them arsenic an excuse to undermine Israel and appease Iran."
White House spokesperson Andrew Bates said nan management condemns "echoing nan rhetoric of violent organizations" successful nan "strongest terms."
Republicans successful nan Senate were speedy to condemn nan encampment astatine Columbia, and Sen. Marsha Blackburn, R-Tenn., moreover suggested, "Any student connected a visa that is arrested for supporting Hamas needs to beryllium deported immediately."
Many GOP members successful nan precocious enclosure person reinforced their support for Israel and nan Jewish group often passim nan warfare betwixt Israel and violent group Hamas successful Gaza. Democrats person been much measured and observant pinch their commentary connected nan warfare and Israel arsenic nan party's disagreement connected nan rumor expands, making nan statements from them regarding Columbia peculiarly significant.
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President Biden and Democrats person faced disapproval from their Republican counterparts for pulling backmost from Israel, a awesome U.S. state successful nan Middle East. Biden precocious warned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that U.S. argumentation successful support of nan state could alteration depending connected nan actions it takes to minimize civilian casualties successful Gaza.
And successful nan aftermath of Iran's caller nonstop onslaught connected Israel, Republicans quickly blamed Biden and different Democrats, accusing them of emboldening Israel's adversary to undertake specified an audacious attack.
Julia Johnson is simply a authorities writer for Fox News Digital and Fox Business, starring sum of nan U.S. Senate. She was antecedently a authorities newsman astatine nan Washington Examiner.
Follow Julia's reporting connected X astatine @JuliaaJohnson_ and nonstop tips to Julia.Johnson@fox.com.
