Columbia University selected Jonathon Kahn, a professor who had previously signed a 2021 statement in support of Palestinians’ “indigenous resistance movement,” to lead campus-wide dialogue and cultural programs earlier this month.
In light of Kahn's rejection of "the fiction of a 'two-sided conflict,'" the Columbia Jewish and Israeli students organization posted the announcement of Kahn's selection to its X/Twitter page and questioned whether he had been vetted for the job.
“Did anyone even bother vetting him before hiring? Or was this done on purpose?” The organization asked.
University Dean Josef Sorett announced the decision in early September. Sorett had been previously caught in a 2024 scandal in which three administrators' antisemitic texts were leaked.
In his new role at Columbia, Kahn is meant to “build and lead initiatives that cultivate curiosity, civic purpose, and meaningful dialogue - facilitating student engagement with faculty outside the classroom.”
Vassar College letter says Israel is an 'apartheid' state
The 2021 statement from Vassar College students and staff that Kahn signed stated that signees “affirm that the Palestinian struggle is an indigenous resistance movement confronting settler colonialism, apartheid, and ethnic cleansing,” according to a screenshot of a student newspaper article posted by Columbia Jewish and Israeli students.
“This is not a symmetrical battle,” it continued, adding that it agreed with the United Nations’ classification of apartheid.
The letter went on to classify Gaza as an "open air prison" and classified parts of Israeli-Palestinian history as "ethnic cleansing."
However, in an interview in early September, Kahn said that he no longer resonated with the 2021 Vassar letter.
Kahn told the Washington Free Beacon that he is a Zionist who "believe[s] deeply in Israel’s right to exist and thrive as a Jewish state" and also "deeply value[s] Palestinian life and Palestinians’ aspirations for statehood."
"My beliefs are not fully captured in this letter that was authored more than four years ago," he said, as reported by the Washington Free Beacon.
"I didn’t agree with every sentence then, and I still don’t. But I put my name to that letter at a time when I felt in deep disagreement with actions taken by the Israeli government, and I wanted to signal my support for the Palestinian civilians who were suffering."
"My role is to help students understand what matters deeply to them and, as importantly, to understand what matters deeply to their fellow classmates. I believe that’s the most effective way to build healthy dialogue and community."