UAE arrests three in murder of Israeli Rabbi Zvi Kogan

The United Arab Emirates announced Sunday the arrest of three suspects in connection with the murder of Israeli Rabbi Zvi Kogan, which Israeli officials have condemned as an anti-Semitic “terrorist attack.”

The UAE Ministry of Interior confirmed the arrests in a statement, noting that the suspects were apprehended swiftly. The ministry identified Kogan as a 28-year-old Moldovan national based on his entry documents. Kogan, who was a resident of the UAE, was found dead by local security services.

Kogan was living and working in the UAE as a representative of the Chabad Hasidic movement, a global Jewish outreach organization.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the murder as a “terrorist attack” and denounced the act as driven by anti-Semitism during a cabinet meeting. “This murder… is an abhorrent anti-Semitic terrorist attack,” Netanyahu said.

Although details about the murder remain unclear, Israeli and Emirati authorities have not provided specific information on the circumstances surrounding the crime. However, Kogan’s abduction and killing were confirmed by the Chabad-Lubavitch movement, which expressed “great pain” over the loss.

Israel has since renewed its warning for citizens to avoid non-essential travel to the UAE, urging those in the Gulf nation to exercise caution. This comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East following the ongoing war in Gaza. Despite this, UAE presidential adviser Anwar Gargash reiterated that the UAE remains “an oasis of stability,” underscoring the country’s commitment to tolerance and coexistence.

The UAE normalized relations with Israel in 2020 as part of the Abraham Accords, alongside Bahrain and Morocco.