Families of Israeli Hostages File Lawsuit Against Columbia University Protest Leaders for Alleged Ties to Hamas

Families of Israeli Hostages File Lawsuit Against Columbia University Protest Leaders for Alleged Ties to Hamas

The families of Israeli hostages have initiated legal action against Mahmoud Khalil and several other organizers of protests at Columbia University. They claim these individuals operate as a propaganda arm for Hamas on the university’s campus.

In a lawsuit submitted to the Southern District of New York on Monday, the plaintiffs focus on Khalil, a former graduate student at Columbia. He has been a prominent figure in the Columbia University Apartheid Divest movement and has served as a spokesperson for the so-called Gaza Solidarity Encampment. Alongside Khalil, the suit names Nerdeen Kiswani, the co-founder and chair of Within Our Lifetime; Maryam Alwan, a representative for Columbia Students for Justice in Palestine; and Cameron Jones, affiliated with Columbia-Barnard Jewish Voice For Peace.

The legal complaint accuses the defendants of acting as Hamas’ propaganda representatives in New York City and specifically on the Columbia campus. The lawsuit states, “Defendants in this case are Hamas’ propaganda arm in New York City and on the Columbia University campus. We know this because they advertise themselves as such. Their self-described acts in furtherance of their goals to assist Hamas have included terrorizing and assaulting Jewish students, unlawfully taking over and damaging public property and university property on Columbia’s campus, and physically assaulting Columbia University employees.”

Furthermore, the complaint describes the defendants as individuals who “act behind veiled scarves and largely seek to be anonymous individually, yet seek to intimidate as a group.” This characterization highlights their alleged intent to silence opposition.

The lawsuit expresses a strong commitment to uncovering the true nature of these actions, declaring, “This case will pull down those scarves and unveil acts that violate this country’s antiterrorism laws. This case will finally hold these admitted terrorists accountable for their actions. It is time for American campuses to return to being centers for learning and to be saved from relentless occupation by Hamas’ tragically misguided cohorts.”

Among the plaintiffs are six relatives of hostages currently being held in Gaza. Additionally, hostages who were freed or rescued have joined the lawsuit, notably including Iris Weinstein Haggai, the daughter of Israeli-Americans Gad and Judy Haggai, who were killed. Three soldiers from the Israel Defense Forces are also part of the legal action.

Anat Alon-Beck, a law professor collaborating with the National Jewish Advocacy Center, emphasized that the lawsuit raises a critical national security issue. She stated, “While the U.S. cherishes free expression, it unequivocally condemns violence. Ironically, those who champion such support would be silenced under Hamas’ oppressive regime, starkly illustrating the contrast between our cherished freedoms and their brutal tyranny.”

This legal action highlights the growing tension on college campuses in light of recent events surrounding the Israel-Hamas conflict. Various advocacy groups have called for dialogue and understanding, yet incidents of violence and intimidation persist.

In a statement, NJAC Associated Director Ben Schlager remarked, “This case gives voice to heretofore seldom spoken facts. JVP, WOL, CUAD, the Students for Justice in Palestine collective, and student leaders on campuses throughout the country, are serving as instruments of Hamas, a foreign Terrorist Organization that hates the United States and the very values these anti-Israel college protestors claim to represent. The leadership of these campus protestors knowingly affiliates with those who applaud any form of physical, emotional or economic harm that can be inflicted upon citizens of a western democracy.”

Highlighting concerns about free speech, NJAC CEO Mark Goldfeder noted, “The right to advocate and even to propagandize is broadly construed in the U.S., on college campuses and in a vast array of fora. It is not, however, unfettered and certainly does not encompass acts of violence, vandalism, physical intimidation, trespassing and breach of university rules that ensure student safety. Nor does it support the provision of material support for terror.”

Arielle F. Klepach, a former federal prosecutor and Senior Litigation Counsel at NJAC, added that this suit seeks to hold accountable those responsible for what she describes as disruptive actions on the Columbia campus over the past eighteen months. She voiced her discomfort with the visible support for terrorism that she has witnessed as a Columbia alumna.

Klepach concluded, “Those responsible will now begin to face consequences for their actions.” As the legal proceedings unfold, the case could set significant precedents regarding the conduct of organizations on college campuses and their interactions with geopolitical issues.

Potential Implications of the Lawsuit

This lawsuit has the potential to affect how universities handle free speech related to international conflicts. For many, it raises questions about the balance between allowing students to express their views and ensuring the safety of all students on campus.

Furthermore, the case could spark further legal actions against other organizations accused of fostering similar sentiments. Observers are closely monitoring the developments, as university administrators grapple with complex issues surrounding freedom of expression and potential ties to terrorism.

Ongoing Developments