Columbia University President Minouche Shafik resigned Wednesday after a brief, tumultuous tenure that saw the head of the prestigious New York college grapple with protests over the Israel-Hamas war and criticism over how the school handled divisions related to the conflict.

Anti-war protests and encampments at Columbia and campuses across the United States were a flashpoint in debates about US support for Israel in its campaign against Hamas in Gaza.

Critics said the protests at Columbia and elsewhere veered into anti-Semitism and intimidation, culminating in Shafik being questioned before the US Congress along with other university presidents and accused of not keeping Jewish students safe.

Protesters -- many of whom were themselves Jewish -- said demonstrators' anti-Israel views were being conflated with anti-Semitism. They also said that individual allegations of hate incidents were being used to distract from calls for a ceasefire.

"Over the summer, I have been able to reflect and have decided that my moving on at this point would best enable Columbia to traverse the challenges ahead," Shafik wrote in an email announcing the move, according to student newspaper the Columbia Spectator.

"I am making this announcement now so that new leadership can be in place before the new term begins."

As protests and encampments spread across US universities, protesters at times occupied buildings. In some cases there were clashes with police, while at other times pro-Israel protesters attacked the encampments. (Agencies)