Muslim cleric calls to 'take out' Jews at Columbia University

Israeli professor Shai Davidai of Columbia University in New York, who was previously bullied by antisemitic staff and students at the institution, has been threatened by a pro-Hamas imam during a conference called Islamic Political Activism, organized by the group Students for Justice in Palestine.

Muslim cleric Tom Facchine appears in a video instructing the pro-Palestinian organization to act against Davidai, creating a situation "in which he’s in jeopardy" and "take out somebody like that."

The imam added that such actions could "silence" hundreds of other Jewish teachers.

Facchine, 35, converted to Islam in 2010 after undergoing a series of ideological and religious transformations in his life, having previously become an atheist after leaving Christianity and then embracing the ideas of Karl Marx in college, noted The New York Post.

In a post on X, Davidai, who teaches business administration at the university, expressed, "Hey Columbia. Are you OK with a pro-terror student organization inviting a Hamas-supporting imam that's telling students to 'take out' one of your Jewish professors?"

Davidai further posted the disturbing video showing Facchine addressing the group of students last week, instructing them on how to deal with Jewish staff.

The professor remarked that members of Students for Justice in Palestine "celebrate terrorist attacks against civilians. And they do it with the support of Columbia University."

The Israeli scholar further stated that Facchine preaches at a mosque in Utica, N.Y., and despite enjoying all the freedoms afforded by the United States, "this doesn't stop him from preaching for Sharia law and stating that receiving '70 lashes; is merciful. Should this be allowed near university students?" He added that the imam not only supports terrorism, he "is also a bone-fide antisemite, claiming that Jews 'run the hospital system' and 'the school system.'"

Amid antisemitic incidents at several U.S. universities in the middle of the year, Davidai was not allowed to enter the university campus because of concerns related to his safety. At the time, the professor said: "To the best of my knowledge, the last time that a professor was denied access to their own university for being Jewish was Nazi Germany."

Columbia's Minouche Shafik resigned last month over criticism of rising antisemitism at the university.

Internal Columbia University report denounces 'crushing' cases of antisemitic discrimination and calls for 'urgent' changes

Columbia University's Task Force on Antisemitism released its second report, which highlighted "crushing" cases of harassment, ostracism, verbal and physical violence against Jewish and Israeli students. Some even "suggest violations of federal and state law."

The report describes a climate of fear, with students even avoiding walking alone on campus.

"There is an urgent need to reshape everyday social norms across the campuses of Columbia University... But we are a long way from there," the report acknowledges. "The problems we have found are serious and pervasive," it adds.