New York Governor calls Hanukkah celebration stabbing 'act of domestic terrorism'

All five victims of the incident are Hasidic Jews. Two of these five people are in critical condition.

New York: New York Governor Andrew Cuomo on Sunday called the stabbing incident at a rabbi's home in a New York suburb, an act of domestic terrorism and directed the State's Hate Crime Task Force to investigate the incident.

"This is violence spurred by hate; it is mass violence and I consider this an act of domestic terrorism. Let's call it what it is. These people are domestic terrorists. The law should reflect that and they should be punished as if it is an act of terrorism," the Governor said.

"We stand in solidarity with all members of the Jewish community. We are going to enforce the laws and make sure that acts like these do not happen and if they happen, they are punished to the full extent of the law," he added.

All five victims of the incident -- which took place in New York's Rockland County during a Hanukkah celebration -- are Hasidic Jews, as per a tweet by Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council. Two of these five people are in critical condition.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has condemned the incident while President Reuven Rivlin has expressed shock and outrage over it.

"Israel condemns in every sense the latest anti-Semitic incidents and the brutal attack in the middle of Hanukkah at the rabbi's house in Monsey, New York. We send wishes for a speedy recovery to the injured," Netanyahu said at the start of the weekly Cabinet meeting today.