Rabbi Zvi Kogan, an Israeli-Moldovan citizen who went missing on Thursday, was found murdered in the United Arab Emirates on Sunday, in what Israel called a “criminal antisemitic terrorist incident.”
“The murder of Zvi Kogan is a criminal antisemitic terrorist incident. 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 said in a statement.
Kogan, 28, is believed to have been kidnapped in Dubai last week before his body was found in Al Ain, a Emirati city bordering Oman. The rabbi is a Hasidic member of the orthodox Jewish organization Chabad, and worked to “establish and expand Jewish life in the Emirates.”
Israeli President Isaac Herzog urged UAE authorities to “work tirelessly to bring the perpetrators to justice.”
“This vile antisemitic attack is a reminder of the inhumanity of the enemies of the Jewish people,” Herzog said. “It will not deter us from continuing to grow flourishing communities in the UAE or anywhere – especially with the help of the dedicated commitment and work of the Chabad emissaries all over the world.”
Although the UAE’s investigation is ongoing, former Israeli Druze politician Ayoob Kara told Reuters that Iran was to blame for the death.
“The one enemy (Israel has) today is the terror and Iran that supports the terror. The indication that we have now is this is the direction of the investigation,” Kara said.
Israel’s National Security Council has placed a travel warning to the UAE, cautioning against nonessential travel.
“Avoid visiting businesses, gathering places, and entertainment venues identified with the Israeli and Jewish population,” the warning said. “Maintain increased vigilance in public places (including restaurants, hotels, bars, etc.). Avoid displaying Israeli symbols. Cooperate with local security forces, follow their instructions, and report immediately if you have been exposed to terror activity.”
The news of Kogan’s murder comes as antisemitic events arise across the globe. In Montreal on Friday, violent antisemitic protests erupted on the streets. Protesters burned cars and smashed windows, “attacks specifically targeting the Jewish community,” Quebec Premier Francois Legault said. Israeli soccer fans were savagely attacked in Amsterdam in early November, when an antisemitic mob “sought out Israeli supporters to attack and assault them,” Amsterdam authorities said.