{
  "id": 7306815,
  "title": "Columbia Gives Big Money to Pro-Israel Groups — But Not to Pro-Palestine Ones",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/columbia-gives-big-money-to-pro-israel-groups-but-not-to-pro-7306815",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-14T09:49:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Intercept",
    "slug": "the-intercept",
    "url": "https://theintercept.com/2026/09/14/columbia-israel-donations-payments-adl-aipac/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Columbia University's spending patterns have come under scrutiny, revealing that the institution has been funneling hundreds of thousands of dollars to pro-Israel groups over the past few years, while providing minimal support to pro-Palestine, Arab, or Muslim organizations. The substantial donations were made to entities such as the American Israel Public Affairs Committee’s charity arm, the Israel on Campus Coalition, and the American Israel Education Foundation, following the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack that sparked a campus protest movement against the genocide in Gaza.\n\nThe university's spending on pro-Israel groups increased significantly in the fiscal year that followed the Hamas attack, with payments totaling $175,000. However, in the same period, Columbia gave little or no funds to pro-Palestine, Arab, or Muslim groups. This disparity has drawn criticism from faculty members and students, who argue that the university's actions and resource allocation reveal its commitment to pro-Israel and anti-Palestinian politics.\n\nColumbia has defended the grants by citing its use of a donor-advised fund, an arrangement designed to provide donors with tax-deductible donations while allowing them to request specific distributions to other charities. However, this arrangement has been criticized for its opacity, enabling donors to remain anonymous.\n\nThe university's decision to suspend pro-Palestine student groups and endorse the arrest of protesters has further fueled public outrage. The protests were driven by demands for Columbia to disclose its financial ties to Israel and pro-Israel organizations and divest from them. The protesters argued that the university's deep involvement in supporting Israel directly contradicts its professed commitment to academic freedom and the well-being of its students.",
  "summary": "Groups like the ADL and AIPAC’s charity arm received cash from Columbia over the past three years, as the school cracked down on student protests. The post Columbia Gives Big Money to Pro-Israel Groups — But Not to Pro-Palestine Ones appeared first on The Intercept .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "The Intercept",
        "title": "Columbia Gives Big Money to Pro-Israel Groups — But Not to Pro-Palestine Ones",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/columbia-gives-big-money-to-pro-israel-groups-but-not-to-pro",
        "published": "2026-09-14T09:49:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}