Columbia Papers

Joseph Howley

Joseph Howley has become one of the most visible academic apologists for Hamas and a key enabler of extremism at Columbia University. As a vocal member of Faculty and Staff for Justice in Palestine (FSJP-CBT), Howley has participated in radical encampments, signed statements justifying terrorism, and used his faculty status to shield and legitimize pro-Hamas and antisemitic activism on campus. His conduct reflects a broader trend of faculty-driven radicalization that erodes the academic integrity and safety of Columbia.

Justifying the Hamas Massacres of October 7

Howley’s most egregious act was signing a public letter on October 30, 2023, that sought to reframe Hamas’s October 7 massacre—where over 1,200 innocent Jews were brutally murdered, raped, and kidnapped—as a “military response” and an expression of “resistance.” The letter, endorsed by several Columbia and Barnard faculty, referred to the attack as “one salvo in an ongoing war” and dismissed it as the natural outcome of “violent and illegal occupation.”

By using academic language to sanitize terrorism and elevate Hamas’s atrocities as resistance, Howley contributed to a growing intellectual movement that dehumanizes Israeli and Jewish civilians and glorifies terror as legitimate political action. His endorsement of this narrative represents a moral collapse unworthy of any institution committed to truth and human rights.

Key Dates of Joseph Howley’s Extremist Activity

Justification of Hamas Terrorism

Public Rallies & Speeches

Pro-Hamas Encampment Involvement

May 7, 2025 – Participation in Library Takeover Protest

On May 7, 2025, Professor Joseph Howley was present during yet another escalation of campus unrest—this time at Columbia University’s Butler Library, where protesters attempted an unauthorized occupation of the building. Demonstrators publicly called for “faculty mediators” to deescalate the standoff, and Howley arrived at the scene, attempting to enter the library while tensions with law enforcement remained high. Howley’s presence once again signaled faculty alignment with protest actions that disrupt university operations and pose serious safety concerns. His continued proximity to these events raises further doubts about his alleged role as a deescalator and reinforces his pattern of legitimizing radical activism under the protection of academic status.

Inciting Hostility Through Campus Activism

In April and May 2024, Howley played an active role in Columbia’s Gaza Solidarity Encampment, a movement organized by student extremist groups including Students for Justice in Palestine (SJP) and Jewish Voice for Peace (JVP). He appeared in videos and photos wearing a faculty identification vest, visibly supporting protestors who chanted antisemitic slogans, blocked access to Jewish students, and ultimately barricaded Hamilton Hall – holding university workers hostage and destroying property.

Rather than denouncing these actions, Howley lent his voice to their cause. In one Instagram video, he addressed the crowd gathered outside Hamilton Hall, defending the encampment even after it devolved into criminality and open threats against Jewish members of the campus community. His continued presence signaled that Columbia faculty were not only tolerating but actively encouraging this extremism.

 

Public Rhetoric and Support for BDS

Howley has made his ideological commitments clear across public forums. In November 2023, he spoke at a protest condemning the suspension of SJP and JVP, despite those groups’ praise for Hamas’s attacks just days earlier. During his speech, Howley equated Israel’s war against Hamas with genocidal regimes, saying:

“My Jewish ancestors were killed and made refugees by ethnic cleansing projects like the one underway right now in Gaza.”

He later tweeted in support of the same groups, stating:

“Last week I was part of an action by faculty, staff, and graduate workers to protest the university’s suspension of two student groups drawing attention to Palestinian suffering …” (November 20, 2023)

In February 2024, Howley served as a featured speaker at a pro-BDS rally organized by Columbia University Apartheid Divest (CUAD), where speakers openly called for the “total liberation of Palestinian land” and painted university apparel with slogans like “Columbia $upports racist violence.” His participation in these events demonstrates an ongoing pattern of using institutional legitimacy to promote fringe ideologies and racialized hatred.

A Dangerous Presence in the Classroom

As an educator, Joseph Howley holds influence over Columbia students at a time when campus tensions are at a breaking point. His public endorsements of terror, defense of groups involved in violence, and propagation of anti-Israel conspiracy theories create a hostile learning environment – particularly for Jewish students.

Rather than fostering critical inquiry, Howley presents a one-sided ideological narrative that whitewashes atrocities and promotes deeply divisive political movements. Students are not being challenged to think independently; they are being immersed in a worldview that rationalizes violence and demonizes democratic allies.

Joseph Howley is not merely a protestor or activist – he is an active participant in the intellectual and physical infrastructure that has allowed extremism to take root at Columbia University. From signing statements that justify terrorism to physically supporting campus occupations that endangered lives, his conduct represents a fundamental betrayal of academic responsibility.

By continuing to employ Howley, Columbia risks further emboldening those who exploit the language of resistance to legitimize terror and hatred. His actions have endangered students, undermined university policies, and lent the university’s credibility to movements that openly call for the destruction of Israel and the silencing of Jewish voices.