Shafik outlined her upcoming testimony to Congress in an essay published in the Wall Street Journal, focusing on the delicate balance between free speech rights and the impact of pro-Palestinian protests on Jewish students and supporters.
She emphasized the ongoing struggle of the U.S. Supreme Court to define the boundaries of free speech under the First Amendment, cautioning that universities may not resolve this issue quickly.
Referencing the October 7 Hamas attack, Shafik acknowledged the profound impact it had on the Jewish and Israeli communities. She also recognized the humanitarian crisis in Gaza and the broader narrative of Palestinian displacement.
Shafik unequivocally condemned calls for the genocide of any group, stating that such language has no place at Columbia University. She emphasized that threatening annihilation is beyond the realm of acceptable discourse and can have devastating consequences.
