Anti-Israel protester Mahmoud Khalil defended by Columbia University professor following detainment

ColumbiaUniversityprofessorAzmatKhansaidthatanti-IsraelorganizerMahmoudKhalilisahighlyrespectedmemberoftheschoolcommunityfollowinghisdetainmentbyICE. ColumbiaUniversityprofessorAzmatKhansaidSundaythatcampusanti-IsraelprotestleaderMahmoudKhalilisahighlyrespectedmemberoftheschoolcommunityfollowinghisdetainmentbyImmigrationandCustomsEnforcement(ICE)agentsinearlyMarch.  “Imaginewhat’shappeningaspeoplearecoveringMahmoudKhalil,thiscommunity,amanwhoissotreasuredandbelovedamongtheColumbiacommunity,”KhantoldMSNBChostAymanMohyeldin.“It’sbeenreallydifficultforthem.” Khalil,aformerColumbiagraduatestudentandU.S.legalpermanentresident,wasdetainedbyfederalimmigrationauthoritiesandfacespossibledeportationoverhisallegedsupportforHamasinanarrestfollowingtheTrumpadministration’smovestocrackdownonanti-Israelprotests. PALESTINIANPROTESTERMAHMOUDKHALILEXCORIATESCOLUMBIAINOP-ED C