The United Arab Emirates announced on Sunday the swift arrest of three suspects in the murder of Israeli Rabbi Tzvi Kogan, an event that has sent shockwaves through the international community and triggered strong condemnation from Israel. The Ministry of Interior, in a statement released via the official WAM news agency, declared the apprehension of the perpetrators responsible for Kogan’s death. This decisive action comes as a response to what Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described as an “abhorrent anti-Semitic terrorist attack.”
Rabbi Kogan, a 28-year-old Moldovan national residing in the UAE, served as a representative of the Chabad Hasidic movement, a globally recognized ultra-Orthodox Jewish group known for its community outreach. His body was discovered by UAE security services, prompting swift investigations and an outpouring of grief. The Israeli Prime Minister’s office and the foreign ministry confirmed the grim discovery earlier on Sunday. The circumstances surrounding Kogan’s death remain undisclosed by both Emirati and Israeli officials, leaving much to speculation and fueling anxieties amongst Jewish communities worldwide.
Israel’s President Isaac Herzog issued a strong statement condemning the “vile anti-Semitic attack,” emphasizing that such acts will not deter Israel from cultivating thriving communities within the UAE. He highlighted the attack’s disturbing reminder of the enduring threat of anti-Semitism. Moldovan authorities confirmed their embassy in Abu Dhabi is actively collaborating with local officials, closely monitoring the situation, and providing necessary support to the ongoing investigation. Initially, Moldova’s statements only acknowledged Kogan as missing, without any mention of his death.
The Chabad-Lubavitch movement expressed profound sorrow via a post on X (formerly Twitter), accompanied by a photograph of the late rabbi. The statement described the rabbi’s murder as a terrorist act following his abduction on Thursday. Following the incident, Israel issued a renewed travel advisory urging its citizens to avoid non-essential trips to the UAE and advising those already present to exercise heightened caution. Ayoob Kara, a former Israeli cabinet minister, expressed his surprise at the event, noting the typically secure environment in Dubai where Rabbi Kogan managed a kosher market that was closed following his death.
Anwar Gargash, a UAE presidential advisor, maintained that the country remains a haven of stability and tolerance in a post on X. However, his statement made no direct reference to the tragic murder of Rabbi Kogan. Although an exact figure for the Jewish population within the UAE is unavailable, estimates by the World Jewish Congress place it between 500 and 3,000 individuals, primarily expatriates.
This incident occurs against the backdrop of heightened tensions in the Middle East, fueled by the recent conflict in Gaza sparked by Hamas’s attack on Israel on October 7th, 2023. A separate incident in Jordan saw a man open fire on security forces near the Israeli embassy in Amman, resulting in one fatality and three injuries. The Jordanian government swiftly labeled the attack as “terrorist.” The timing and location of these events underscore a rising atmosphere of violence and instability across the region, making the investigation into Rabbi Kogan’s murder all the more critical.
