Columbia University cracked under intense pressure. Zionism is a potent force in contemporary American culture.
In April 2024, students at Columbia University staged pro-Palestine protests, including the occupation of Hamilton Hall, which they renamed Hind’s Hall. The protests called for an end to U.S. support for Israeli genocide in Gaza and for the university to divest from Israeli firms.
The campus also saw counter-demonstrations in support of Israel, leading to accusations of antisemitism, Islamophobia, and racism.
Disinvestment from Israel is a movement aimed at pressuring the Israeli government to end its occupation of Palestinian territories. The divestment movement began to draw significant attention in 2002, with notable petitions at institutions like Harvard and MIT. It was further fueled by a call from 171 Palestinian organizations in 2005 for an international Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) campaign against Israel, which sought to address issues such as the occupation of Arab lands and the rights of Palestinian refugees. The BDS movement has since become a central framework for advocating economic pressure on Israel.
Zionists hate BDS with a passion, and work actively to discredit and dismantle it.
In 2024, calls for divestment surged amidst heightened pro-Palestinian protests across college campuses in the US, driven by the ongoing genocide in Gaza. Activists are urging universities to withdraw investments from companies associated with Israel, arguing that such actions are necessary to hold Israel accountable for its policies towards Palestinians. The protests have highlighted a broader ethical debate regarding investment decisions within academic institutions, questioning whether they should prioritize ethical considerations alongside financial returns.
Despite the growing movement, divesting from Israel is not so easy in America. Numerous states have enacted laws, prohibiting public institutions from engaging in boycotts against Israel.
This struggle between those that want to hold Israel accountable for the genocide, and those that want to support Israel no matter what is actively being carried out on many campuses. Columbia University was ground zero—and it crumbled.
Given the intensity of the protests, a lot of pressure was put on Columbia to stop the protests. As soon as Trump came into office, the pressure increased, and the university agreed to a series of policy changes and disciplinary actions.
The Trump administration withheld $400 million in federal funding from Columbia University, citing concerns over the safety of Jewish students and the university’s handling of antisemitism on campus. Trump made several demands, including banning masks, expanding intellectual diversity, and granting law enforcement authority to campus security. These demands were part of a broader effort to address perceived antisemitism and ensure compliance with civil rights laws.
Columbia agreed to implement many of Trump’s demands. This included measures to enhance campus safety and address antisemitism, such as mandatory antisemitism training and oversight of certain academic departments. The university disciplined students involved in anti-Israel protests, including expulsions and suspensions. These actions were taken after the university’s Judicial Board found “violations” of university policy. As well, Columbia’s interim president, Katrina Armstrong, stepped down after the university made these concessions to the Trump administration.
So, who was behind the calls of antisemitism, and why did Columbia buckle?
Meet the Campus Maccabees, or the Maccabee Task Force, the pet project of Miriam Adelson.
The MTF is a Jewish advocacy group, founded in 2015, to combat “antisemitic activities” on college campuses. On its websites, it states that its mission is “help defend Israel,” and “fight back against the rising tide of anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism on America’s college campuses.”
It does by fact-checking “misinformation” about Israel and improving the environment for Jewish students on campuses. It does this by organizing trips for influential non-Jewish student leaders to experience Israel firsthand, to foster future relationships and change perceptions.
The organization hosts about 20 events per academic year on every campus to promote its objectives and build “alliances.”
Most important of all, MTF works as campus police, which investigates “anti-Israel” groups and identifies opportunities for legal challenges (lawfare), focusing on key groups like Students for Justice in Palestine.
The MTF is primarily supported by the Adelson Family Foundation. Recently, it has reduced its operations from 100 to 75 campuses, in order to focus on key institutions and social media influencers.
Thus far, over 5,000 non-Jewish students have participated in MTF trips to Israel, with many adopting more favorable views of the state. MTF is a major funder of PragerU, a leading Israeli propaganda venue.
The term “Maccabees” is important in this context, for it is Aramaic for “hammer,” and so the implication of hammering perceived “enemies” of Israel. The story of the Bible is found in the Old Testament in two books (1st and 2nd Maccabees), but which are excluded from the Protestant Bible.
Miriam Adelson played a significant role in shaping the Trump administration’s policies towards Israel, leveraging her substantial financial contributions and personal influence. She donated over $100 million to Trump’s campaigns, making her one of his largest donors. This financial support gives her considerable influence over his policy decisions, especially regarding Israel. Her donations were often tied to specific pro-Israel policies, such as the annexation of the West Bank and recognition of Israeli sovereignty over disputed territories.
Therefore, it is not surprising that in his first term in office, Trump moved the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, a move widely seen as a significant shift in US policy towards Israel, which aligns with Adelson’s desire to annex the West Bank. Then, Trump recognized Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, which also was another policy decision influenced by Adelson. And Trump withdrew from the Iran nuclear deal (JCPOA), a pro-Israel move, aligning with Adelson’s views.
Next, there are the various Trump appointments who are all fervently pro-Israel, such as Mike Huckabee as US Ambassador to Israel. All these appointments were influenced by Adelson’s preferences for pro-Israel figures. Adelson’s influence also extends to diplomatic efforts, including support for Israeli actions in Gaza and opposition to criticism of Israel on US campuses (the work of her MTF campus police force).
As the publisher of Israel Hayom (Israel Today), a major Israeli newspaper, Adelson has shaped public opinion in Israel and influenced media narratives about US-Israel relations. Her support for Israeli causes and institutions has contributed to a stronger cultural alignment between the US and Israel, particularly under Trump.
Miriam Adelson’s influence on Trump’s Israel policies are profound, reflecting her strong pro-Israel stance and her ability to leverage financial and personal connections to shape US foreign policy decisions. She has captured the Republican party and will use it to further agenda of Greater Israel.
Thus, when Columbia crumbled under intense pressure, it all according to the larger Adelson plan—to thoroughly Zionize the American higher education system.
The many arrests that have happened so far of pro-Palestinian individuals is the first stage in this process—meant to convince everyone that resistance is useless and it is best to succumb and bend the knee to Israel. It is not for nothing that she is called the “modern-day Rothschild.”
