Federal Judge Dismisses DOJ Antisemitism Suit Against Harvard Amid Wider Campus and Security Issues

A federal judge dismissed the Trump administration's high-profile antisemitism lawsuit against Harvard University, finding that the campus incidents cited failed to demonstrate an ongoing pattern of civil-rights violations after official warnings were issued. Justice Department officials expressed strong disagreement and are reviewing options for an appeal. Meanwhile, federal authorities are probing a sizable anti-Israel fund connected to New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, investigating whether donor money was diverted to a sanctioned Palestinian organization.

In a separate incident, 46-year-old Larry Montes was arrested and charged with hate crimes after he attacked congregants, damaged property, and assaulted a security officer during Friday Shabbat services at Manhattan's Central Synagogue. State Department representatives pointed to UNICEF findings that refute claims of a famine in Gaza, noting child malnutrition rates remain well below famine thresholds. Additional items in the briefing included a call to fire a broadcaster for anti-Israeli remarks, Christian Zionist volunteer activities in the West Bank, and a guest editorial asserting that the Dead Sea Scrolls provide archaeological proof of the Jewish connection to Israel.