Jewish leaders urge restraint as UWS stabbings spark backlash to mayor's Netanyahu critique

Jewish elected officials criticized Mayor Mamdani for linking Netanyahu’s leadership to political criticism after a stabbing on the Upper West Side that targeted a Jewish man and an Asian man; Mamdani defended his stance as a critique of leadership, not a condemnation of a group, while urging safety. Officials including Letitia James and Mark Levine called for toned-down rhetoric and acknowledged rising antisemitism as NYPD data show antisemitic hate crimes are rising; the investigation into whether the attack constitutes a hate crime continues and authorities note possible mental illness in the suspect.