Israeli authorities confirmed Sunday that Rabbi Zvi Kogan, who disappeared in Dubai last Thursday, has been murdered in what officials are calling “a criminal antisemitic terrorist incident,” prompting vows from the government to track down those responsible.
“The State of Israel will act in all of its abilities to bring to justice the criminals responsible for his death,” the Prime Minister’s office announced following the discovery of Kogan’s body. The 28-year-old Israeli-Moldovan national’s abandoned car had been found an hour’s drive from his residence.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog characterized the killing as “a vile, antisemitic attack.” The Mossad intelligence agency had been working with UAE authorities to investigate the disappearance of Kogan, who managed a kosher supermarket in Dubai and served as an emissary for Chabad, an orthodox Jewish organization.
Kogan played a significant role in “establishing and expanding Jewish life in the Emirates,” according to Chabad, which maintains a presence in the UAE supporting thousands of Jewish visitors and residents. The organization focuses on building connections with non-affiliated and secular Jews across different Jewish denominations.
The murder comes despite continuing diplomatic relations between Israel and the UAE under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, which Abu Dhabi has maintained throughout the current Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza. However, Israel’s travel advisory service had warned citizens to visit the UAE only for “essential reasons,” citing “terrorist activity” that poses “a real risk to Israelis who are staying/visiting in the country.”
