Security authorities in the United Arab Emirates have located the body of Zvi Kogan, an Israeli-Moldavan rabbi who’d been missing since Thursday, the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office said.
“The murder of the late Zvi Kogan is a criminal antisemitic terrorist event,” according to a statement from the office. “The State of Israel will act by all means and bring the criminals responsible for his death to justice.”
Israel said it’s reinforcing its recommendation to avoid non-essential travel to the UAE. It also recommended avoiding businesses and gathering places identified with the Israeli and Jewish population, avoiding posting travel details on social media, and reducing movement.
“There is concern that there is still a threat on the ground against Israeli ands and Jews in the area,” the National Security Council said.
The ministry of foreign affairs in the UAE released a statement on Saturday, saying it was “closely monitoring the case” and “is in close contact” with Kogan’s family. It hasn’t immediately commented on the discovery of the rabbi’s body.
Since the start of the Israel-Hamas war in October 2023, the Israeli government has warned its citizens traveling abroad of possible attacks by Iranian or Iran-backed operatives. It’s raised the alert level in dozens of countries, including the UAE.
Kogan had been living in the UAE as an emissary of Chabad-Lubavitch, a Jewish organization. He’d been working for several years, together with colleagues, on establishing and expanding Jewish life in the Emirates, including making kosher food widely available, according to a Chabad website.
“This vile antisemitic attack is a reminder of the inhumanity of the enemies of the Jewish people,” Israeli President Isaac Herzog said in a post on X. “It will not deter us from continuing to grow flourishing communities in the UAE or anywhere.”
This article was generated from an automated news agency feed without modifications to text.
