New York, New York - A collection of Palestinian students and staff members have sued Columbia University over claims of discriminatory treatment by the school since late 2023.

The lawsuit was filed by five Palestinian Americans on Monday with the New York State Supreme Court, including a professor at Columbia University (CU), a former professor, a currently-enrolled student, and two former students.

In the complaint, the students and staff allege that CU has fostered a hostile and discriminatory environment on campus for Palestinians since October 7, 2023.

Specifically, the plaintiffs allege CU's Office of Institutional Equity (OIE), which was created in August 2024, has routinely singled out Palestinian students and staff in its stated aim of combating antisemitism.

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According to the lawsuit, the OIE launches investigations based on antisemitism as defined by the International Holocaust Remembrance Alliance, which conflates criticism of the State of Israel with hate speech against Jews.

As a result, the plaintiffs claim, the OIE has singled out Palestinian students and staff for rallying against Israel's brutal attacks on Gaza, which a key UN commission has found to constitute genocide and ethnic cleansing.

The OIE is also accused of failing to adequately investigate complaints submitted by members of CU's Palestinian community.

"Columbia has discriminated against its students, faculty, and staff who are of Palestinian origin through its failure to adequately protect its community members from harassment by others, and indeed, actively encouraged such harassment," the lawsuit alleges.

"In stark contrast to the OIE's aggressive investigation of complaints alleging antisemitism based on protected Palestinian advocacy, Columbia systematically failed to investigate complaints submitted by its Palestinian community members."

"The OIE rarely acknowledged receipt of such complaints, and when it did, it failed to take any follow-up action."

CU spokesperson Kimberly Winston declined to comment when approached by the New York Times, citing the lawsuit, as did lawyers representing the plaintiffs.