Shai Davidai_10162024_1
Assistant Professor Shai Davidai is denied access to the campus grounds during his pro-Israeili rally at Columbia University on April 22, 2024, in New York City. David Dee Delgado/Getty Images

Social media users are celebrating the temporary suspension of a pro-Israel professor at Columbia University who "repeatedly harassed" colleagues.

Columbia University's spokesperson confirmed Shai Davidai, who has been an assistant professor at the business school since 2019, was temporarily suspended because he has "repeatedly harassed and intimidated University employees in violation of University policy."

"Columbia has consistently and continually respected Assistant Professor Davidai's right to free speech and to express his views. His freedom of speech has not been limited and is not being limited now," Wert wrote in a statement to Columbia Spectator. "Columbia, however, does not tolerate threats of intimidation, harassment, or other threatening behavior by its employees."

Despite being barred from campus, Davidai is still considered a faculty member and will continue receiving his salary, Spectator reported. The school's spokesperson added he is allowed back after he "undertakes appropriate training on our policies governing the behavior of our employees."

The firing comes after Davidai, who's an Israeli citizen, shared a video of himself asking the University's Chief Operating Officer Cas Holloway how he could allow pro-Palestine students, whom he referred to as "pro-Hamas," to protest on Oct. 7.

In another X video from Oct. 7, Davidai called the school's Assistant Director of Public Safety Bobby Lau "useless" during the pro-Palestinian walkout.

The assistant professor has also called his colleague Rashid Khalidi, a Palestinian scholar at Columbia, a "spokesperson for Hamas" and doxed another professor who he said was "OK with rape, murder, torture and kidnapping," according to reporting by the New York Times. He has also harassed pro-Palestinian students and accused student groups of supporting terrorism.

Davidai said in an X update that he was suspended because of the videos with Cas Holloway and Bobby Lau, adding, "They don't like being exposed."

In another post, he accused Holloway of retaliating against him. The accompanying video has since been deleted.

When news of Davidai's suspension came to light, social media users were quick to share their elation. User @JoshuaPHilll wrote, "Happy Shai Davidai has been banned from Columbia University's campus for harassment day to all who celebrate," and many others shared jokes at Davidai's expense.

Another responded to Davidai's X post, writing "...you've been an issue on campus for YEARS..." adding "this is ALL ON YOU."

Other users shared a similar sentiment with some even sharing personal anecdotes of interactions they've had with the banned professor.

X user @taylorontop tweeted at the Zionist professor to say he can "always apply to Trump University."

Suppressed News also shared what they expect Davidai's reaction was after he heard the news.

One X user admonished anyone coming to Davidai's defense, referencing one of the numerous stories of university professors being violently arrested for attending pro-Palestinian protests.

Since Oct. 7, 2023, Al Jazeera reported 43,165 Palestinians and 1,139 people in Israel have been killed since October 7, 2023.

© 2024 Latin Times. All rights reserved. Do not reproduce without permission.