Two Jews Stabbed in Suspected Antisemitic Attack in New York's Upper West Side

Two Jewish men, one wearing a kippah, were stabbed late Thursday night while walking in New York City's Upper West Side. Witnesses reported the assailant shouted "Allahu Akbar" during the attack before fleeing the scene. Both victims were hospitalized with injuries not considered life-threatening. The suspect was later apprehended by police.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin described the incident as an antisemitic stabbing, though the NYPD has not yet released details about the arrested suspect. Meanwhile, Mayor Zohran Mamdani, known for his critical stance on Israel, had wished the city's Jewish community a "safe and meaningful fast" for Tisha B'Av, a day of mourning in Jewish tradition. His recent remarks against the Jewish lobby AIPAC and calls to detain Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the UN have sparked accusations of hypocrisy and antisemitism from some residents.

Last month, NYPD crime data revealed a nearly 70% increase in hate crimes targeting Jews compared to the previous year, with Jewish victims comprising about 60% of all hate crime victims despite Jews making up only 10% of the city's population. This stabbing adds to a troubling trend of rising antisemitic violence in New York.

The attack follows other recent antisemitic incidents, including assaults on Israelis in Mongolia involving hatchets and knives, underscoring a global rise in such hate crimes.