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Edited by: Fern Sidman

Prominent hedge fund billionaire Leon Cooperman has announced his decision to suspend all future donations to Columbia University due to the university’s handling of recent student protests against Israel, as was reported on Thursday in the New York Post.  In a fiery interview with Fox Business’s Liz Claman, Cooperman criticized the protesting students, stating that they have “s–t for brains” and voicing his support for Israel as America’s reliable ally in the Middle East, its only democracy, and a nation that promotes tolerance and diversity, the Post report added.

“We have one reliable ally in the Middle East — that’s Israel. We only have one democracy in the Middle East — that’s Israel, okay? And we have one economy tolerant of different people — gays, lesbians, etc. And that’s Israel,” Cooperman told Fox Business.  Cooperman, 80, is the chairman and CEO of Omega Advisors, a New York-based investment firm with over $3.3 billion in assets, the Post reported.

Cooperman, who is of Polish-Jewish descent and an alumnus of Columbia University, expressed his concern over the university’s response to the ongoing Middle East conflict. He specifically called out a tenured professor, Joseph Massad, who praised the recent Hamas terror attacks on Israel in an article published on The Electronic Intifada, the Post report said.

Cooperman vowed to withhold his future contributions to the university unless he sees changes in the administration’s approach, particularly regarding the handling of Professor Massad’s controversial statements about Hamas, the Post reported. He lamented, “Now, the real shame is I’ve given to Columbia probably about $50 million over many years, and I’m going to suspend my giving. I’ll give my giving to other organizations.”

Cooperman also said he told administrators to “fire this professor.”

“I mean, war is hell. War is not good for anybody, but to praise what Hamas did is disgraceful, disgusting,” Cooperman added, the Post report said.

Almost 60,000 people signed a petition demanding Massad’s removal from the university, accusing Columbia of “condoning and supporting terrorism.”

“Regardless of one’s stance on the conflict, supporting and praising one of the worst acts of terrorism in history is never acceptable,” the petition reads, according to the Post.

The Post also reported that a letter of solidarity with Massad was issued in turn, condemning the petition against him and calling on Columbia President Nemat Shafik to “unequivocally guarantee his physical safety and his academic freedom.”

It was signed by thousands of members of the school’s alumni, staff, and student body.

Some Columbia professors have weighed in — including Israeli-American assistant professor Shai Davidai.

He alleged that Columbia’s president, Minouche Shafik, has not spoken out against the student groups and said he would never allow his daughter to attend the Ivy League school in remarks he posted to YouTube titled “an open letter to every parent in America,” the Post report said.

While Columbia University has declined to comment to the Post on the matter, it has sparked a nationwide debate about free speech, academic freedom, and the boundaries of acceptable discourse on campuses, according to the Post report.

The controversy extends beyond Cooperman’s stance. “The View” star Meghan McCain, who is an alumna of Columbia University, expressed her “shame” over the university’s handling of what she referred to as “virulent anti-Semitism,” as was reported by the Post. She announced that she would refuse to provide any financial support to the institution and would avoid speaking engagements with the university.

“The only thing I can say is they will never get a dime from me. I will never do any speaking engagements with them. Columbia can go to hell as far as I’m concerned,” McCain said, as was noted in the Post report.

Moreover, university administrators canceled a student group’s on-campus movie night after the organizers indicated that “Zionists” were not welcome, the Post report said. The university’s response has further fueled the debate around campus activism, demonstrating the challenges universities face in striking a balance between free expression of ideas and maintaining an inclusive and respectful environment.

A Columbia University spokesperson told The Post, “As we have reiterated many times over the past few weeks, anti-Semitism or any other form of hate will never be tolerated in our community.”

Cooperman’s decision and the broader controversy reflect the complexities and sensitivities surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict and academic freedom, highlighting the ongoing debate over how universities should address contentious political issues. The situation at Columbia University has raised questions about where universities should draw the line on free speech and academic discourse while fostering an inclusive and respectful campus environment.