UAE Arrests Three for Rabbi Zvi Kogan’s Murder, Israel Labels It an Anti-Semitic Terror Act

Zvi Kogan was an Israeli Rabbi who holds dual citizenship with Moldova and has been missing since Thursday in the UAE.

The worst fears were confirmed when his lifeless body was discovered on Sunday.

The UAE interior ministry confirmed it had discovered Kogan’s body and has also arrested three persons in connection with the Rabbi’s murder.

Israel has termed the killing of Rabbi Zvi Kogan as an “anti-Semitic act of terror.” Zvi Kogan was a representative of Chabad, a religious movement of Hasidic Jews. The group has communities, synagogues, and other institutions in many countries, and Kogan was reported missing since Thursday afternoon.

According to Chabad’s official website, he was kidnapped from Dubai, one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE.

UAE Detains Three Over Rabbi Zvi Kogan’s Murder

Kogan’s body was discovered on Sunday, according to a communiqué by the UAE interior ministry, which also stated that three people have been arrested in connection with the Rabbi’s murder. The ministry further stated that all the legal procedures are being conducted and more details will be forthcoming once the investigations are complete.

Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has vowed to use all means at his disposal to bring the perpetrators of these heinous acts to justice. Netanyahu also extended his condolences to the family of the murdered Rabbi and said:

The Israeli government has reissued travel advisories for its citizens, asking them not to undertake non-essential travel. It also urged its citizens to remain vigilant, minimize movements, and stay in secure locations.

Zvi Kogan was a part of Chabad emissaries and was working for the spread of Judaism in the UAE. He also founded the first Jewish education center in the region and, as per the group’s website, was involved in making kosher food widely available in the region.

Zvi Kogan’s wife, Rivky, is a US national, and her uncle, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, was killed by terrorists in the infamous 26/11 Mumbai attacks in 2008.

The U.S. has also reacted to Rabbi Kogan’s killing, and the White House, in a statement, said:

“Kogan’s murder was a horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence. It was an assault as well on the UAE and its rejection of violent extremism across the board,” White House National Security Council spokesperson Sean Savett said.

“The United States is working in close coordination with Israel and UAE authorities, and we have offered all appropriate forms of support.”

Relations between the UAE and Israel have improved in recent years, and it was the first Arab nation to start meaningful relations with Israel under the US-sponsored Abraham Accords. The UAE also has a small Jewish community that numbers in the thousands.

Last year, the Arab nation opened a synagogue and named it the “Abrahamic Family House.” The complex also features a mosque and a church.

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