US, Canadian Universities Hire Israeli Security Firms to Manage Pro-Palestinian Protests

December 7, 2024 – Several universities in the United States and Canada have reportedly entered into agreements with Israeli-linked security companies to manage and suppress pro-Palestinian protests on their campuses, according to a report published by the Israeli newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth. These actions come amidst a wave of protests in support of Palestine and against Israel’s ongoing military operations in Gaza, which have intensified across Western campuses in 2024.

The trend reportedly began after the election of former U.S. President Donald Trump, who pledged to penalize academic institutions that failed to control what he called “radicals and Hamas supporters.” In response, many universities turned to Israeli security firms for assistance in handling the growing pro-Palestinian movements that have been calling for the end of investments in Israel and Israeli companies.

One of the universities mentioned is the City University of New York (CUNY), which has signed a $4 million contract with Strategy Security Corp., a company owned by Yosef Sordi, a former New York City police officer with professional training in Israel. Concordia University in Montreal, Canada, also hired two Israeli security firms: Perceptage International, led by Adam Cohen, former head of security for the Israeli Central Court, and Moshav Security Consulting, run by Eyal Feldman, a former Israeli army reserve commander.

These developments illustrate a growing trend where academic institutions are enlisting Israeli security expertise to control and suppress the growing calls for pro-Palestinian advocacy on campuses, raising questions about the intersection of security, politics, and academic freedom in the current global climate.