Columbia University sent hundreds of thousands of dollars to pro-Israel organizations during the same period its administration suspended pro-Palestinian student groups and dismantled Gaza solidarity demonstrations, according to an investigation by The Intercept.
Financial records reviewed by the outlet reportedly show payments connected to organizations including the Israel on Campus Coalition and affiliates of the American Israel Public Affairs Committee. The disclosed grants included payments of $100,000 and $75,000 during fiscal year 2024.
The revelations are drawing renewed attention to Columbia’s handling of political activity surrounding Israel’s war in Gaza. University officials suspended Jewish Voice for Peace and Students for Justice in Palestine, cleared protest encampments and called law enforcement onto campus. Police arrested demonstrators during the administration’s effort to regain control of occupied university spaces.
The investigation arrives as Columbia faces a federal lawsuit filed by Khalil against the university and the dean of its School of International and Public Affairs. The complaint alleges that school officials showed deliberate indifference toward threats faced by Palestinian students.
Khalil claims Columbia’s actions contributed to circumstances that ultimately led to his detention. His lawsuit seeks restored access to campus and the reversal of suspensions imposed on student organizations.
Columbia has explained that the grants identified in the financial records were distributed through a donor-advised fund and processed in accordance with Internal Revenue Service rules. The university has also maintained that its priority is creating a safe campus environment for every member of its community.
The funding disclosures have added another layer to the ongoing debate over how Columbia applies its institutional power. Students and faculty have spent years questioning whether the university’s protest policies, disciplinary decisions and financial relationships align with its stated commitment to open expression and campus safety. The federal case could now force greater examination of how those decisions affected Palestinian students and the groups advocating on their behalf.