Chabad ultra-Orthodox rabbi Zvi Kogan may have been kidnapped and murdered by an Uzbek terrorist cell that he would act on orders from Iran. The Israeli media reported this after the body of the Israeli-Moldavian cleric, who had been missing since last Thursday, was found today in the Emirates. Kogan’s vehicle was discovered in a town about an hour and a half outside Dubai, Ynet reported. Authorities suspect he was kidnapped by three Uzbek citizens who then fled to Türkiye. According to information in Israel’s possession, as reported by the Jerusalem Post, Kogan may have been under Iranian surveillance, according to reports.
In the announcement of the discovery, Israel denounced an “atrocious act of anti-Semitic terrorism” which sparked strong indignation in the country. The body of missing Tzvi Kogan was found lifeless by Emirati authorities, the Prime Minister’s Office and the Israeli Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. “The State of Israel will use all means at its disposal to ensure that justice is done and that those responsible for his death are held accountable for their actions,” they said in a joint statement.
The Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence service, has opened an investigation, and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already evoked the “terrorist” lead, without however providing any details. The United Arab Emirates is one of the Arab countries that have normalized relations with Israel thanks to the 2020 Abraham Accords, promoted by Donald Trump during his first term in the White House.
Israeli authorities have renewed their warning to Israelis to avoid all non-essential travel to the Gulf country and have advised citizens already present to take further precautions.m «This despicable anti-Semitic attack reminds us of the inhumanity of the enemies of the Jewish people», commented Israeli President Isaac Herzog on the social network Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz denounced, again on X, “a vile and despicable anti-Semitic terrorist crime.”
Who was Zvi Kogan
Married for six months according to Israeli media, Rabbi Tzvi Kogan was an emissary of Chabad Lubavitch, an ultra-Orthodox Hasidic movement with a global missionary commitment aimed at strengthening Jewish identity and bringing Jews closer to their faith. The Emirati authorities have observed extreme discretion regarding this murder on which they have not commented. Yesterday they declared that they had “immediately started search operations” to find the cleric.
The Moldovan Ministry of Foreign Affairs said it was in contact with the Emirati authorities “to clarify the circumstances of this case”, referring to the disappearance, but not the death, of Tzvi Kogan. (AGI)