An intruder stabbed and wounded five people at a rabbi's house in a New York suburb late Saturday, in an incident the state governor said was "an act of terrorism" after a spate of attacks on Jewish targets.
Local media reported that a man with a machete entered the rabbi's property in Monsey, Rockland County, during celebrations for the Jewish festival of Hanukkah, knifing several people before fleeing.
Victims were rushed to nearby hospitals, with no official details on their injuries. Police said a suspect was later arrested.
"This is an act of terrorism. I think these are domestic terrorists. They are trying to inflict fear," New York Governor Andrew Cuomo told reporters at the scene on Sunday.
"They're motivated by hate. They are doing mass attacks. These are terrorists in our country perpetrating terrorism on other Americans, and that's how we should treat it."
"I was praying for my life," said witness Aron Kohn, 65, comparing the knife used by the attacker to "the size of a broomstick."
"I saw him stabbing people," he added. "He injured a guy, he was bleeding in his hand, all over."
"We will NOT allow this to become the new normal," he wrote. "We'll use every tool we have to stop these attacks once and for all."
In Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the country "strongly condemns the recent displays of antisemitism including the vicious attack at the home of a rabbi in Monsey, New York."
"We will cooperate however possible with the local authorities in order to assist in defeating this phenomenon."
Disclaimer: No Business Standard Journalist was involved in creation of this content