US college presidents back in the antisemitism firing line

The latest US congressional hearing on college antisemitism highlighted more disturbing reports of antisemitic attacks; a Berkeley professor celebrating October 7; and Georgetown University awarding a Qatari royal who praised Yahya Sinwar.

The hearing summoned leaders from the City University of New York (CUNY), Georgetown University and the University of California, Berkeley to appear before the Education and Workforce Committee.

It is the ninth hearing focused on antisemitism in just 18 months, with previous hearings about Ivy League campuses leading to the resignations of several college presidents.

Republican lawmakers again grilled university administrators for creating a hostile environment for Jewish students on their campuses, employing professors who glorified terrorism online, and their failure to uphold safety policies.

Republican congressman Tim Walberg, the chairman of the committee, said the purpose of the hearing, which was held on July 16, was to examine “several factors that incite antisemitism on campus,” including student groups, faculty unions, Middle Eastern studies centers, foreign funding, and diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives.

But several Democratic lawmakers criticised the focus of the hearings, calling it “political theatre,” while blaming the Trump administration for closing several of the education department’s offices of civil rights. “Instead of solving the problem, we’re watching some try to use antisemitism as a reason to go after higher education,” alleged Democrat Alma Adams.

While some university leaders admitted fault and pledged to do more for Jewish students, others doubled down, defending staff accused of supporting terrorism. Here are some of the key moments from the hearing.

One of the hearing’s most chilling moments was Republican Lisa McClain’s exchange with Berkeley’s chancellor Rich Lyons, who defended a pro-Hamas professor.

From the outset, Lyons appeared to deflect any personal responsibility for antisemitism on campus. While he acknowledged that “some” Jewish students do not feel safe at Berkley, he would not provide a clear reason as to why.

Lyons: Well, I think there are Jewish people that don’t feel safe in lots of parts.

McClain: I’m not talking about lots of parts. I’m talking about the university in which you are in charge of. Why do you think that is?

Lyons: I think there is antisemitism in society and we–

McClain: I'm not talking about society and I appreciate your diversion of the question. I'm talking about the university.

McClain questioned Lyons about Ussama Makdisi, a Berkeley history professor who posted on X: “I could have been one of those who broke through the siege on October 7”.

A large placard displayed the post, which included a photo of Hamas terrorists celebrating nearby a burning IDF tank. When McClain pressed Lyons on the meaning of the post, he froze for several seconds. “Hello?” she prodded him.

“I believe it was a celebration of the October 7 attack,” he admitted, finally. Given this response, McClain interrogated further.

McClain: Did you have any conversations with this professor?

Lyons: I've had conversations with this professor. Yes.

McClain: Yeah. And what was his response? And what were the conversations?

Lyons: That he’s a fine scholar and–

McClain: A fine scholar that spews hate and the people who pay, the students, don't feel safe. That’s great. He’s a fine scholar. I’m sure there’s a lot of murderers in prison that are fine people too, fine scholars. But they do some pretty nefarious and heinous acts. So, you want to explain what the conversation was?

Just then, chairman Walberg jumped in to say McClain’s time had expired. “Saved by the bell,” she quipped.

The morals of Georgetown, a Jesuit university, were called into question by Republican Mark Harris. Addressing Robert M. Groves, the university’s interim president, Harris said the university appeared to be celebrating ideologies in direct opposition to its religious values.

On April 16, Georgetown awarded its presidential medal to Sheikha Moza bint Nasser, the mother of Qatar’s emir and chairperson of the Qatar Foundation – a non-profit established by the Qatari royal family in 1995. The award was given at a ceremony marking the 20th anniversary of Georgetown’s Qatar campus.

Months prior to the ceremony, following the death of October 7 mastermind Yahya Sinwar, Sheikha Moza posted on X: “The name Yahya means the one who lives. They thought him dead but he lives”. Seemingly calling for Israel’s destruction, she added, “He will live on and they will be gone.”

Given how explicitly pro-Hamas her post was, Harris questioned Groves as to why Georgetown decided to bestow her with an award.

Harris: I have to ask, why did you give a medal to someone who had made such antisemitic comments and represents a government that supports a US designated terror organisation like Hamas?

Groves: The award to Sheikha Moza was given for her work, decades long work, for getting access to education to the poorest children around the world. At this point there are 22 million children in the world that would not have had access to education without her work. It was for that work that we honour her.

Harris: I hear that. But you also said at the award ceremony that the medal, quote, is reserved for individuals whose contributions reflect the university's deepest commitments, end quote. Is a destruction of Israel something Georgetown would support?

After trying to dodge the question again, Groves finally admitted he does not support the post made by Sheikha Moza. However, when asked if he would revoke the medal, he said no, because he thinks the reason for awarding it “remains true”.

An especially dramatic moment came during Republican Randy Fine’s questioning of university leaders, which was interrupted by a protestor shouting at him. Fine, who is Jewish, wore a kippah to the last hearing at the request of his 17-year-old son, promising he would continue to do so in solidarity with Jewish students. Wearing a kippah again, he began his questioning with a brutal criticism of the university leaders.

“I find the testimony today both disgusting, dishonest, and to be gaslighting. And I’m going to point it out here. We’ve heard that we unequivocally denounce antisemitism, unwavering support for our Jewish students. We have a zero-tolerance policy, and we will not put up with a call for violence. So, let’s explore that.”

Zeroing in on Félix Matos Rodríguez, CUNY’s Chancellor, he highlighted how the university’s chair of political science, Emanuel Nes, said he “supports resistance by any means necessary, which includes violence”.

“How can you say those statements, that you support Jewish students,” began Fine, when a member of the audience stood up and began shouting at him.

“Shut up and get out of here. Get out of here, you loser,” Fine snapped. “By the way, to be clear, I hold you all responsible for this. It is the attitude that you have allowed on your college campuses that make people think that this is okay. That is why this happens. Because, you have someone like Emanuel Nes, that says resistance by any means necessary. And I assume this person still works at your school. Is that correct?”

Rodríguez replied that any calls for violence against the Jewish community was “unacceptable” and that anyone with a complaint of breaking the rules would be investigated. Fine then moved onto Berkeley, again questioning Lyons about why Ussama Makdisi was employed at the university after describing October 7 as “resistance”. Again, Lyons defended him as a “fine scholar”.

“This great academic, you're showing the problem, said, quote, ‘I could have been one of those who broke through the siege on October 7th’,” Fine countered. “This is what you think is good. And then we're surprised when people come in here and behave this way.”

In his final minutes, Fine brought up his son, again saying he is the reason he wears his kippah. With his son heading college next year, he asked the university leaders to explain why he should feel safe on their campuses. While the leaders from CUNY and Georgetown said they would help Jewish students feel safe, Fine wasn’t buying it, and refused to hear from Lyons, given his answer regarding Makdisi.

“I would tell you this, the Jewish students on your campus, they do not feel safe today and you all should be ashamed about that,” he concluded.