The boycott by conservative American judges of graduates of Columbia University, which witnessed large student protests rejecting the Israeli war on the Gaza Strip and in solidarity with the Palestinians, sparked great dissatisfaction and anger on social media platforms.
Thirteen American federal judges – most of whom were appointed by former US President Donald Trump – had refused to appoint students from Columbia Law School because of the university’s “lenience of the demonstrations in support of Gaza,” as they put it.
These judges said in a letter to the university administration, “We will not hire anyone who joins Columbia University as an undergraduate or a law student starting with the first class of 2024,” and they also described the Manhattan campus as “an incubator of intolerance.”
It is customary for law school students in American universities to have the opportunity for one-year practical training with judges, during which they gain practical and professional experience, enabling them to obtain prestigious, high-paying jobs.
On the other side of the wave of calls to boycott the employment of protesting students, Andrew Dodum, a Palestinian-American entrepreneur who heads the healthcare company Hems, called for student employment and posted a link to employment at his company.
“If you’re protesting against genocide, there are a lot of companies and CEOs eager to hire you regardless of your specialty,” Dudum said.
However, this company was subjected to a boycott campaign and a sharp attack from supporters of Israel, which led to the company’s shares falling by 14%, and the loss of about $210 million in share value in one day.
Great dissatisfaction
The “Shabakat” program monitored – in its episode on (5/7/2024) – the interaction of the platforms’ audience with the American judges’ move against the protesting students, as most of the comments were that the matter was expected and other measures could be taken, amid dissatisfaction with the judges’ bias in favor of one party against. last.
In this context, Yara says, “It was expected. They will be deprived of employment and higher degrees at the university, and if some of them are from outside the United States, their visa will not be renewed, and so on.”
In turn, Ali criticized what the US judges did, and commented, “If the matter had happened to another country, they would have imposed sanctions on them and demanded the protection of the demonstrators while they suppressed the demonstrators and ruined their professional futures.”
As for Leah Ahmed, she praised the American student movement in support of Palestine, and said in this regard, “Even if they punish them… the injustice will not continue… Their courage will be remembered by generations, as we mentioned about the students’ sit-in for the Vietnam War.”
For her part, Reem highlighted the failure of these judiciaries to adhere to the principle of impartiality, saying, “The judiciary and judges are supposed to be impartial and not biased towards any party and rely only on investigations and results,” and added, “Issuing rulings without right is considered injustice.”
It should be noted that Columbia University in New York canceled the main graduation ceremony due to the protests organized by students against the war in Gaza, which was scheduled for May 15.
About 300 people who participated in the protests at Columbia University were arrested, while American officials say that the detainees may face criminal charges that could be reduced to a misdemeanor, where the penalty ranges from one to seven years in prison.