Obama, a Columbia alumnus, wrote an X post on Monday about Passover but made no mention of the crisis of antisemitism on US campuses.
By Vered Weiss, World Israel News
As anti-Israel protests are causing the cancellation of classes at Columbia University, former US President Barack Obama remains silent about the explosive situation at his alma mater.
Obama, who graduated from Columbia in 1983, wrote an X post on Monday commemorating Passover but didn’t take the opportunity to address the issue of the harassment of Jewish students at Columbia.
When Fox News Digital tried to reach the former president and his representatives for a comment about the situation at Columbia, they received no response.
However, other Democrats have joined Republicans in criticism of the situation at the university Jewish students face at the University located in New York City.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader from New York, Chuck Schumer said in a statement, “Every American has a right to protest. But when protests shift to antisemitism, verbal abuse, intimidation, or glorification of Oct. 7 violence against Jewish people, that crosses the line.”
NY Democratic Representative Kirsten Gillibrand said she was “appalled” by the situation at Columbia, and said, “Threats of violence against Jewish students and the Jewish community are horrible, despicable and wholly unacceptable.”
“Using the rhetoric of terrorists has no place in New York, where we pride ourselves on tolerance and the right of every group to practice their religion in peace,” she added.
Two Democratic lawmakers, New York Representative Ritchie Torres and Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman have called for the resignation of Columbia President Minouche Shafik.
In an X post, Torres wrote: “The cancellation of in-person classes at Columbia University is an admission of failure by President Minouche Shafik, who has chosen to surrender control of Columbia to an antisemitic fringe.”
He added, “If you cannot ensure the safety of your students, then you have no business serving as President of any university, let alone the alma mater of Alexander Hamilton.”
“What Columbia University needs is not an appeaser of antisemitism but a leader who will fight with moral clarity against it,” Torres concluded.
Democratic Senator from Pennsylvania, John Fetterman posted on X that Columbia’s protests were “antisemitic, unconscionable and dangerous.”
“Add some tiki torches and it’s Charlottesville for these Jewish students,” Fetterman added referring to a 2017 white supremacist rally at the University of Virginia characterized by the chant “Jews will not replace us.”
“Do your job or resign so Columbia can find someone who will,” said Fetterman.