House Republican leaders have expressed their determination to address the resurgence of anti-Israel protests on college campuses as students return for the fall semester. Activists have already begun defacing property and staging demonstrations at Columbia University in New York City, a site of previous controversial activity.
Majority Leader Steve Scalise emphasized the need for a zero-tolerance policy against antisemitic violence targeting Jewish students on campus. He stated that if universities fail to hold protestors accountable, Congress will take action. Speaker Mike Johnson urged the White House to condemn the protests, highlighting the need for immediate action.
During recent demonstrations in Manhattan, at least one protester was arrested, and footage showed activists pushing barricades. A second individual was taken into custody outside Barnard College, Columbia's sister school.
House Republicans have rallied around support for Israel as a unifying issue within their party, contrasting with the left's internal divisions over U.S. relations with the Middle Eastern nation. Moderate Democrats have cited the primary losses of anti-Israel progressives as evidence that the left is capable of addressing its own issues with antisemitism.
