3 arrested in UAE for killing Israeli scholar

Three Arrested in UAE for Murder of Israeli Rabbi, Investigation Ongoing

The Emirati Interior Ministry said Sunday that three people have been taken into custody in the United Arab Emirates (UAE) in relation to the alleged murder of an Israeli national. The ministry’s statement stressed that all legal measures will be utilized “decisively” against any threats to societal stability, but it did not go into further detail about the suspects or the allegations against them.

The victim, 28-year-old Rabbi Zvi Kogan, was a Moldovan national who lived in the United Arab Emirates. He was initially reported missing on Thursday and was associated with the Orthodox Jewish Chabad movement in New York. On Sunday, his body was found. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the murder as a “heinous antisemitic terrorist act” and said that Israel would take all necessary steps to make those involved accountable.

Kogan, who was last seen in a Kosher store in Dubai, is being investigated by all relevant Israeli agencies, according to confirmation from the Israeli Foreign Ministry.
The location of the murder is still unknown, however his body was discovered in Al Ain, a city close to the Omani border.

Former Israeli politician Ayoob Kara, who has been promoting economic relations between Israel and the Arab world, suggested there might be indications of Iranian involvement, though the Iranian Embassy in the UAE strongly denied any such allegations.

Following the assassination, Israel advised its people to refrain from unnecessary travel to the United Arab Emirates and asked those who were already there to restrict their travel and avoid locations connected to Israel or Jewish communities.

The murder shocked the UAE’s Jewish population, which has become increasingly visible since the country formally partnered with Israel in 2020 through the Abraham Accords. Nevertheless, despite the horrific event, Israeli and Jewish authorities stressed that Israel and the UAE would continue to cooperate and have a partnership.

While informal synagogues in Dubai had been closed for security reasons following the October 7 Hamas attacks, the UAE’s sole government-approved synagogue in Abu Dhabi remains open. Estimates suggest there are several thousand Jews or Israelis residing in the UAE, although official statistics are unavailable.