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Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, Danny Danon accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of helping create the atmosphere that led to today’s stabbing attack on Manhattan’s Upper West Side, arguing that the mayor’s repeated anti-Israel rhetoric has endangered the city’s Jewish community.

Danon issued the sharp rebuke after two men—one Jewish and one Asian—were stabbed in broad daylight in what authorities are investigating as a possible bias-motivated attack. Witnesses told investigators the suspect shouted “Allahu Akbar” during the assaults.

“Zohran Mamdani, your incitement is putting Jewish lives in danger in New York, home to the largest Jewish community outside Israel. You have spent months fueling hatred, demonizing Israel and legitimizing hostility toward Jews. Now take responsibility for the consequences,” wrote Danon.

He continued, “Every time you pour more fuel on this fire, you make violence more likely. Stop the incitement. Before more people get hurt.”

Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar echoed Danon’s criticism, saying the violence was the predictable result of months of inflammatory rhetoric directed at the Jewish state.

“I am appalled by the horrific antisemitic stabbing attack in New York. Appalled but sadly not surprised.”

“This violence did not happen in a vacuum. Months of incitement against the Jewish state from Mamdani have helped create a climate in which Jews are targeted,” said Sa’ar.

“Words have consequences. Mamdani must end the incitement, confront antisemitism with resolve, and act now to protect the city’s Jewish community. Enough is enough,” he added.

Mamdani later addressed the attack in a statement posted on social media, saying he had been briefed on the incident and condemning the violence.

“I have been briefed on today’s horrifying stabbings on the Upper West Side, where an Asian man and a Jewish man were attacked. According to witness and victim statements, the perpetrator yelled ‘Allahu Akbar’ during both attacks. I am relieved that both victims are in stable condition.”

He thanked the NYPD for quickly arresting a suspect before adding, “The NYPD’s initial investigation suggests that mental health may have been a factor. They are also evaluating these stabbings as potential hate crimes. These hateful and despicable attacks have no place in our city.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul also denounced the attack, describing it as another apparent act of antisemitic violence.

“Disgusted by what appears to be another senseless attack on New Yorkers simply because they’re Jewish. The strength of New York has always been our ability to live together across every faith and background.”

She added, “Anyone who tries to tear that apart will be met with the full force of the law. New York will stand with our Jewish community today, tomorrow, and always.”

Hochul also expressed concern for the second victim, saying, “Our hearts are also with the second victim. Asian New Yorkers, like Jewish New Yorkers, have endured waves of hate-fueled violence in recent years. Hate rarely stops with one group. New York will continue confronting it wherever it appears.”

Police said the attacks unfolded shortly after 1:30 p.m. Thursday on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Officers first responded to West 84th Street and Central Park West, where they found a 57-year-old man suffering from a stab wound to the torso. Minutes later, they discovered a second victim, a 50-year-old man, with a similar injury near West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue.

According to the Anti-Defamation League, witnesses reported hearing the suspected attacker shout “Allahu Akbar” during the assaults. Authorities said one victim is Jewish and the other is Asian.

Both men were transported to a nearby hospital, where officials said they are expected to recover.

After the attacks, the suspect allegedly fled into an apartment building on Amsterdam Avenue between West 88th and West 89th Streets. Members of the NYPD Emergency Service Unit and hostage negotiators responded, eventually taking the man into custody at approximately 2:45 p.m. He was transported to a local precinct for questioning.

Investigators also recovered a weapon near the second crime scene at West 86th Street and Amsterdam Avenue. Police said the victims do not appear to have known one another, and detectives have not determined whether either had any previous connection to the suspect.

While investigators are examining whether the attack qualifies as a hate crime, officials stressed that no formal determination has yet been made regarding motive.

New York City Council Speaker Julie Menin nevertheless said the attack appeared to have targeted Jews and called for a forceful response.

“I am absolutely sickened and furious by what appears to be an antisemitic stabbing on the Upper West Side. While we await additional details to be confirmed, we know that what is happening in our city is abhorrent. The fear in the Jewish community is real. Every New Yorker deserves to feel safe in their neighborhood, regardless of their faith or identity,” she wrote in a post on social media.

“We must remain united in condemning antisemitism and ensuring those responsible are held fully accountable. I thank the NYPD for its swift response in apprehending the assailant. My prayers are with the victims and their loved ones,” added Menin.

{Matzav.com}

As thousands of bnei yeshivah headed into bein hazemanim for the month of Menachem Av, the organization “Tzeva Shachor” (“Black Alert”), together with the “Nosnim Gav” support organization, released an emergency bulletin outlining detailed instructions for those concerned about possible encounters with military law enforcement amid the ongoing draft crisis.

The guidance, which has been widely distributed throughout yeshivos, reiterates the unequivocal directives of the Gedolei Yisroel that bnei Torah should not report to military induction offices under any circumstances. It also provides practical instructions on how to respond if approached by police or military enforcement personnel.

The organizations’ first and most emphatic instruction addresses situations in which Military Police officers arrive at a person’s home. According to the published guidelines, residents are advised not to open the door, to avoid any conversation with officers, remain completely silent, and immediately contact the Tzeva Shachor emergency hotline.

The advisory also addresses encounters outside the home, urging bnei yeshivah to remain calm, avoid fleeing or engaging in confrontations, and identify themselves only when legally required to do so. It further advises anyone concerned about detention or arrest to immediately notify the organization’s emergency center.

The organizations also devoted significant attention to issues involving medical deferments and military status. They cautioned bnei Torah not to visit draft offices or military induction centers without first receiving proper guidance and strongly warned against relying on self-described “fixers” or private attorneys who promise to resolve draft-related matters for a fee.

According to the advisory, many individuals have allegedly suffered both financial losses and arrests after placing their trust in such intermediaries.

The published guidelines further stress that if an arrest, chas v’shalom, does occur, the individual should immediately exercise the right to remain silent. The advisory instructs detainees: “Maintain absolute silence and do not answer any questions until receiving guidance from an attorney through the hotline.”

The organizations note that military disciplinary proceedings often move quickly before a commanding officer and without legal representation present in the hearing room. For that reason, they emphasize the importance of obtaining legal guidance beforehand rather than attempting to explain one’s position directly to the officer conducting the proceedings.

Alongside the emergency guidance, Tzeva Shachor announced an unusual initiative designed to draw attention within the yeshivah world. The organization said that any bochur whose home receives a verified visit from the Military Police will receive a complimentary premium coffee machine.

The organizations also published emergency contact information for both the 24-hour Tzeva Shachor hotline and the Nosnim Gav information and support center for anyone seeking guidance or assistance.

Several Israeli municipalities opened public bomb shelters on Thursday as security officials warned that the rapidly escalating confrontation between the United States and Iran could spill over into Israel, raising concerns that Tehran may choose to target the Jewish state.

Among the cities taking precautionary measures was Ramat Gan, where Mayor Carmel Shama-Hacohen directed municipal officials to unlock the city’s public shelters despite no changes being issued to the Home Front Command’s official guidelines.

City officials emphasized that the decision was purely precautionary and was intended to ensure residents would be prepared should the security situation deteriorate.

The municipality also urged building committees and residential associations to inspect and prepare their shared bomb shelters so they would be ready for immediate use if needed.

“Municipal officials, led by the mayor, are in continuous contact with the Home Front Command,” the Ramat Gan municipality said.

Similar precautionary measures were implemented by local authorities in Karmiel, Eilat, and several other municipalities as officials across the country monitored the increasingly volatile regional situation and prepared for the possibility of an Iranian attack.

{Matzav.com}

Israeli Defense Minister Yisroel Katz issued a blunt warning to Iran on Thursday after convening a high-level security assessment with Israel’s top military leadership, declaring that while Israel is preparing for every possible scenario, any Iranian attack would be met with overwhelming force.

Katz met with IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir as tensions with Iran continued to mount and intelligence officials monitored the possibility of further escalation.

Also participating in the security consultation were Defense Ministry Director General Maj. Gen. (res.) Amir Baram, the commander of the Israeli Air Force, the head of the Operations Directorate, the head of the Intelligence Directorate, the head of the Planning and Force Build-Up Directorate, the commander of the Home Front Command, and other senior defense officials.

At the outset of the meeting, Katz delivered a direct message to Tehran, stating, “We are preparing for every possibility. If Iran attacks Israel, it will suffer a crushing blow.”

The security meeting followed growing assessments among Western intelligence agencies that Iran could choose to launch the next round of hostilities by striking Israel first. Earlier Thursday, Likud MK Moshe Saada echoed those concerns during an interview on Channel 14, saying, “We all know that we’re approaching a strike on Iran-perhaps even this weekend. Those are the current assessments.”

Meanwhile, President Donald Trump told Axios on Thursday that he is weighing the possibility of launching a major military strike against Iran. Speaking with journalist Barak Ravid, Trump acknowledged that such a decision would carry far-reaching consequences but emphasized that he had not yet made a final determination.

“I am considering a massive attack. Bigger than ever before. I am close to making a decision. We are all set for it,” Trump said.

The President added that Israel “would join within two minutes if I asked,” while stressing that “we don’t need anyone” to carry out a military operation against Iran.

{Matzav.com}

[Video below.] A record 3,698 Jews ascended the Har HaBayis on Tishah B’Av this year, according to organizers, surpassing last year’s total of 3,527 visitors.

While supporters hailed the turnout as a milestone, the overwhelming consensus of the leading poskim and Gedolei Yisroel—both past and present—has remained unequivocal that Jews are prohibited from ascending Har HaBayis under contemporary circumstances.

For decades, the foremost Gedolei HaPoskim across virtually every segment of the Torah world have ruled that entering Har HaBayis is strictly forbidden due to the inability to determine with certainty the precise boundaries of the areas where entry is prohibited because of tumas meis and the location of the Makom HaMikdash. Among those who have prohibited ascending Har HaBayis were Rav Avraham Yitzchak HaKohen Kook, Rav Isser Zalman Meltzer, Rav Tzvi Pesach Frank, Rav Ovadia Yosef, Rav Yosef Shalom Elyashiv, Rav Shmuel Wosner, Rav Nissim Karelitz, Rav Aharon Leib Shteinman, Rav Chaim Kanievsky, Rav Gershon Edelstein, and numerous other gedolim. They have consistently maintained that Jews must refrain from ascending the site until the coming of Moshiach and the rebuilding of the Beis HaMikdash.

Despite those longstanding prohibitions, organizers reported that 3,698 Jews visited Har HaBayis on Tishah B’Av, establishing a new record for the day. Last year, 3,527 visitors ascended the site on Tishah B’Av.

Rav Elisha Wolfson, Rosh Yeshiva of the Temple Mount Yeshiva, welcomed the increased attendance.

“It is moving to see the masses of the House of Israel coming to visit the site of the Temple. Thank God, we were privileged to pray on the Mount using Tisha B’Av prayer booklets and beneath shade canopies in the eastern section. There is no doubt that the process of returning to Zion is making groundbreaking progress year after year.”

He continued, “Now, after 59 years, the people of Israel are beginning to understand that the Holy One, blessed be He, has truly returned us to the site of the Temple.”

Rav Wolfson argued that yearning for Tzion should not be limited to prayer alone but should also find practical expression through visits to Har HaBayis, which he said should be conducted in accordance with the halachic guidelines advocated by his organization.

He also said conditions on Har HaBayis have changed significantly over the past two years, particularly since National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir assumed office. According to Rav Wolfson, when the yeshiva first began operating approximately six years ago, even silent prayer could lead to police detention.

“Today there are songs, prayers, and prostration on the Temple Mount. And starting today, there are also shade canopies and Tisha B’Av prayer booklets,” he said.

Rav Wolfson encouraged additional members of the public to participate by visiting Har HaBayis after making what he described as the necessary halachic preparations and by supporting the yeshiva’s ongoing activities.

According to Rav Wolfson, the yeshiva’s efforts continue throughout the year and are not limited to Tishah B’Av or Yomim Tovim. He said its talmidim ascend Har HaBayis daily after immersing in a mikveh, learn Torah at the site, and maintain a constant presence there.

“We’re carrying out an incredible revolution here and making these tremendous changes possible,” he said.

{Matzav.com}