News Brief

(IsraelNN.com) Jewish and student groups are planning mass protests outside the hall where Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad is to speak on Monday. Ahmadinejad arrives in New York Sunday to attend the opening session of the United Nations General Assembly later this week.

There will actually be two protests: One inside the Columbia campus by university students, and a second one outside the campus. Columbia officials said they would not allow non-students on campus Monday for fear of violent protests against Ahmadinejad.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who prevented Ahmadinejad from visiting the former site of the World Trade Center, citing security concerns, said he could not stop Columbia from inviting the Iranian president. "I think who Columbia invites is up to them and that's what academic institutions do. I am not part of the management of Columbia or a student there,” he said, adding that he did not plan to go hear Ahmadinejad speak.