Now-deleted Instagram post from Barnard College
Now-deleted Instagram post from Barnard College Twitter/X

Barnard College, a private women's college under Columbia University, removed an Instagram post on Monday highlighting a student's Arabic translation summer internship following fierce social media backlash.

The photo featured a student holding an ArabLit Quarterly magazine with what appeared to be a map of Israel on the cover. The post and its subsequent removal drew immediate backlash from both pro-Israel and pro-Palestinian students on Columbia's campus.

The Columbia Jewish Alumni Association criticized the initial post, saying it published "a map showing the entire state of Israel taken over from a starting point in Gaza."

Following the removal of the post, however, pro-Palestine individuals and groups accused the school of not standing behind "student's right to free expression."

"Absolutely absurd," Columbia's Students for Justice in Palestine wrote on X.

"Yesterday, we removed a post highlighting a student's summer internship that included an image that was offensive to some in our community. Out of respect for those views and for the safety of the student, the post has been removed from all Barnard social media," Barnard College wrote on X.

The social media post is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the university after its contentious handling of pro-Palestinian protests last spring, which included encampments and a takeover of Hamilton Hall.

Over 40 students were charged after the incident, but most have had those charges dropped. Columbia canceled its graduation ceremony due to the demonstrations as well. As Israel's 10-month conflict with Iran-backed Hamas in Gaza continues, such demonstrations have emerged on college and university campuses across the country.

Tensions have remained high at the Ivy League institution throughout the summer. Chief Operations Officer Cas Holloway had his Brooklyn residence vandalized by pro-Palestine protesters last week, and three university deans recently resigned after "antisemitic" text exchanges were revealed. University officials are also considering giving campus police broader authority to arrest protesters, according to the Wall Street Journal. On Friday, the school placed additional restrictions on campus access this week to prevent potential disruptions ahead of move-in day.