Palestinian students, faculty members file lawsuit against Columbia University over discrimination

A coalition of current and former Palestinian students and staff members has filed a lawsuit against Columbia University, asserting that the Ivy League institution discriminates against Palestinians and specifically targets pro-Palestinian activism on its campus.

A lawsuit was submitted to the New York State Supreme Court this week, claiming that Columbia University has subjected Palestinian students, faculty, and staff to discriminatory treatment after the anti-Israel Operation al-Aqsa Flood was carried out by Hamas and other Palestinian resistance groups on October 7, 2023, and the Israeli military’s subsequent genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.

The complaint states that Columbia “actively engaged in and enhanced” racially, ethnically, and politically driven targeting of Palestinians.

Mahmoud Khalil, a Palestinian activist and former student at Columbia University, brought attention to the lawsuit on the social media platform X, noting that Palestinian students are taking legal action against the university for purported discrimination in its handling of protests advocating for Palestinians and Gaza.

The plaintiffs assert that the university did not sufficiently safeguard Palestinian members of its community from harassment, while also exposing pro-Palestinian activists to “unjust and prejudiced disciplinary proceedings.”

Among the claims made is that Columbia hired private investigators to monitor students participating in the “Resistance 101” event in March 2024. As stated in the lawsuit, six students were later suspended and removed from university housing.

Columbia University suspends 65-plus students after pro-Palestinian protest

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The complaint highlights that the university did not sufficiently address reported physical assaults on Palestinians, which include instances where students had their keffiyehs forcibly taken away and the January 2024 incident involving the spraying of a foul-smelling substance at a pro-Palestinian protest.

The lawsuit also disputes Columbia's decision to invite New York City police onto campus to dismantle encampments of pro-Palestinian protesters and arrest those demonstrating in 2024.

The plaintiffs consist of lecturer and former anthropology student Hadeel Assali; former lecturer Bahia Munem; PhD candidate Mahdi Sabbagh; 2025 graduate and past student organizer Maryam Alwan; and Layla Saliba, who completed her studies at Columbia's School of Social Work in 2025.

Saliba was part of a group of Palestinian students who had previously lodged a federal civil rights complaint against Columbia for discrimination in 2024. At that time, she expressed that Palestinian students were experiencing unfair treatment and called upon the university to recognize the existence of anti-Palestinian racism.

The case comes following years of controversy surrounding Columbia's response to protests against Israel's genocidal war in Gaza.

Palestinian activists and organizations advocating for free speech have consistently claimed that Columbia University imposes excessive penalties on those opposing Israel.

Students have reportedly encountered arrests, suspensions, expulsions, and revocation of degrees amid the university's efforts to suppress pro-Palestinian demonstrations.

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