Former Israeli PM's speeches at Columbia, Harvard universities trigger backlash

Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett’s speech on Tuesday at Columbia University has faced intense criticism, leading several student groups to protest against his presence on campus. 

The university's Barnard College-Hillel, the school of international and public affairs, and the Kraft Center for Jewish Student Life co-hosted Bennett for an event, according to a report by the Columbia Spectator. 

The Columbia chapter of Jewish Voice for Peace and the Columbia Palestine Solidarity Coalition organised a protest on campus, with students and protesters gathered outside the 116th and Broadway gates and inside the campus carrying banners that read, “war criminal off our campus”.

Columbia University Apartheid Divest and other organisations shared images from the protest on Instagram on Tuesday.

Columbia Jews for Ceasefire issued a statement on its Instagram page ahead of the event, condemning the “political project of Naftali Bennett”.

“By agreeing to host Naftali Bennett while excluding students who feel comfortable challenging his reprehensible policy proposals, CBHillel is implicitly endorsing these policies, intentionally or not,” the statement read.

Many on social media reacted strongly to Bennett, saying that he was not welcome, while one person recalled a quote he made in October 2018: "They are not [Palestinian] children - they are terrorists."

“War criminals are not welcome in NYC‼️📢”

Dozens demonstrated outside #Columbia University, protesting the appearance of former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett while he spoke at an event inside the university. @Columbia

Meanwhile, at #Harvard University, over 40… pic.twitter.com/0b1yClpNha

— Sahat English 🇵🇸 (@sahatenglish) March 5, 2025

After the event, Columbia University released a statement saying “the university coordinated with Columbia Hillel on public safety preparations” for the event with Bennett, including “with respect to any campus protest activity”.

Bennet to speak at Harvard

Following Bennet's speech at Columbia, many on social media criticised another event taking place on Thursday at Harvard University with the former prime minister, with critics asking why "war criminals" are allowed to speak to students.

Why do elite universities—Yale, Columbia, Harvard—invite war criminals to teach and speak to students? Naftali Bennett, embroiled in the 1996 Qana massacre that killed over 100 civilians, is one such figure. Accused of defying orders and panicking under fire, his actions… https://t.co/0Y9CfthkdG

— Suchitra Vijayan 🇵🇸 (@suchitrav) March 5, 2025

Bennet spoke at Yale University on 21 January. 

Others recalled Bennett’s "role in the notorious 1996 Qana massacre in Lebanon, in which Israel killed 106 civilians”.

Naftali Bennett is speaking at Harvard tomorrow. Recall that Bennett played a key role in the notorious 1996 Qana massacre in Lebanon, in which Israel killed 106 civilians. Qana was cited by bin Laden as one of al Qaeda's motivations for attacking the US. https://t.co/G0RNVafacz pic.twitter.com/0fhKvdMkOp

— ☀️ Jon Schwarz ☀️ (@schwarz) March 5, 2025

In 1993, amid Israel's occupation of southern Lebanon, the village came under heavy Israeli fire during a week-long campaign against Hezbollah. 

Then, in April of 1996, during an Israeli military operation named "Grapes of Wrath", Israeli forces fired on a UN peacekeeping compound in the village, where approximately 800 civilians were sheltering inside. More than 110 people, including women and children, were killed. 

Bennett was the commander of a small Israeli army unit that operated inside the “security zone” that Israel occupied in south Lebanon during the operation. 

Some social media users said that the invitation extended by Harvard University to Bennett was “indoctrinating students to hate Muslims”.