Jonathan Greenblatt on anti-Semitic attacks: ‘It’s terror and it’s anti-American’
Leaders on both sides of the aisle have ‘given permission to prejudice,’ Anti-Defamation League says
Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt calls on elected officials to ‘bring down the full force of the law’ in the wake of recent anti-Semitic attacks.
The horrific machete attack in a New York home that injured five people celebrating Hanukkah was “anti-American and [an act of] terror” that is causing the Jewish community to be scared, the leader of a prominent Jewish advocacy group told Fox News on Monday.
“It needs to stop. Enough is enough,” Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt told “America’s Newsroom.”
New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo called the attack, which took place at a rabbi’s home in Monsey, N.Y., on Saturday night, an «act of terrorism» and challenged his state to fight the rise of anti-Semitism and hate.
Standing outside the home of Rabbi Chaim Rottenberg on Sunday morning, Cuomo called the hatred on display the night before «an American cancer in the body politic.»
“This is intolerance meets ignorance meets illegality,» he said, adding: «This is an intolerant time in this country. We see anger. We see hatred exploding.»
NEW YORK MACHETE STABBINGS AT HANUKKAH EVENT IN RABBI’S HOME RESULT IN 5 WOUNDED: REPORTS
No one was killed in the attack, but several were injured – including the rabbi’s son – in what was the latest of nearly a dozen incidents of violence against Jews in the area in recent weeks, including eight in Brooklyn and a deadly shooting in Jersey City.
Greenblatt said that even though he welcomed Cuomo’s response to the matter, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio had “moved slowly” on addressing the “crisis.” He also urged that elected officials “bring down the full force of the law.”
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“Elected officials leaders on both sides of the aisle are giving permission to prejudice,” Greenblatt said.
“We see it in the public discourse in a way we didn’t use to and it’s very troubling — and no one is immune.”
Fox News’ Dom Calicchio and The Associated Press contributed to this report.
