After twice denying the reapplication of Khymani James, a former Columbia student who was suspended following his public statements endorsing the murder of Zionists, Columbia University signaled that he will be eligible for acceptance next fall if he meets certain conditions.
This decision has raised concerns among Jewish advocacy groups that the university is reverting to its dismissive attitude toward antisemitism on campus.
During the 2023-2024 school year, when pro-Hamas student protests roiled the campus, the anti-Zionist protest leader posted video of his comments.
“These are all the same people,” he taped himself saying. “The existence of them and the projects they have built, i.e. Israel, it’s all antithetical to peace. It’s all antithetical to peace. And so, yes, I feel very comfortable, very comfortable, calling for those people to die.”
“Zionists don’t deserve to live,” he added, saying that we should “be grateful that I’m not just going out and murdering Zionists.”
“I don’t fight to injure or for there to be a winner or a loser,” he concluded ominously. “I fight to kill.”
Columbia suspended James in April 2024 only after facing intense criticism from Jewish groups but left the door open for reapplication in 2025.
Undaunted, James continued to endorse violence, posting after the assassination of Charlie Kirk in since-deleted posts encouragement of further such killings. “MORE. MORE!!!” he wrote in one post, and “Down with all fascists” in another.
He also responded to Columbia’s disciplinary action with a lawsuit that alleged preferential treatment of Jews over non-Jews, particularly people of color.
The lawsuit stated, “James as a person of color is squarely within a protected class of black and brown-skinned students who have been the major targets of Columbia’s disciplinary actions arising from pro-Palestinian expression. James has been a victim of Columbia’s anti-Palestinian bias, severely punished, though not himself a Palestinian, as a supporter of the rights of Palestinian people. Third, James has been a victim of reverse discrimination, as Columbia privileges a class of self-described ‘Zionist Jewish’ people over everyone on campus who does not share their views.”
In its initial refusal to accept James’ reapplication, Columbia stated, “Your written submissions do not demonstrate a clear understanding of the impact of your conduct.” The letter added that James’ later statements endorsing violence demonstrated “insufficient ‘reflection on your activities’ that resulted in your suspension,” citing James’ public defense of endorsing the killing of Zionists and reiterating that he meant what he said.
“Your use of language tending to reaffirm those statements during your suspension raises serious concerns about your readiness to return to Columbia and engage with others appropriately,” the letter added. “That only reinforces our concerns, rather than alleviates them.”
“You will be eligible to reapply to return for the fall 2026 semester under the conditions provided for in your Aug. 7, 2024, suspension letter,” the letter continued. “It is our hope that you will use the months ahead to engage in more substantive and careful reflection on the behaviors that led to your suspension.”
Jewish advocates raised concerns over Columbia’s refusal to permanently expel James, as well as its retention of Joseph Massad as a professor. Massad had openly celebrated Hamas’ Oct. 7 attack on Israel in The Electronic Intifada, calling it, “astounding,” “awesome” and “incredible.”
Columbia has taken some steps to combat antisemitism, notably partnering with such Jewish advocacy groups as the Anti-Defamation League while refusing to recognize the pro-Hamas student organization Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD). However, the choice to bring in Jennifer Mnookin as the new president has raised doubts about Columbia’s commitment to fight antisemitism. The former chancellor of the University of Wisconsin-Madison agreed to hire Palestinian teachers to appease anti-Israel protesters, expressed support for the antisemitic Black Lives Matter organization and, in a demonstration of her far-left bona fides, issued a “land acknowledgement” statement, which recognizes Native Americans as the first people to settle North America and apologizes for past U.S. colonialism.
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