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The Israeli government confirmed on Sunday the murder of Tsvi Kogan, a 28-year-old Israeli-Moldovan rabbi, who disappeared last Thursday in the United Arab Emirates. This assassination, described by Israel as a “heinous anti-Semitic crime”, occurs in a tense regional context marked by military conflicts and diplomatic tensions.
The circumstances of the assassination
Tsvi Kogan, a member of the ultra-Orthodox Chabad Lubavitch movement and manager of a kosher store in Dubai, had been missing for several days before her remains were found. According to the statement released by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office, Israeli authorities are committed to prosecuting the perpetrators of the killing to ensure they are held accountable for their actions.
The UAE, through its official WAM news agency, confirmed Kogan's disappearance but identified him only as a Moldovan citizen, without mentioning his Israeli nationality. The Emirates Interior Ministry said it launched a thorough investigation upon reporting her disappearance, without providing further details on the identity of the suspects or potential motives.
Israeli and international reactions
Israeli President Isaac Herzog strongly condemned the killing and thanked the Emirati authorities for their “swift action”. However, the silence from the Emirati government regarding Kogan's Israeli nationality raises questions, as relations between Israel and the Emirates come under pressure following recent regional conflicts.
Geopolitical context and growing tensions
The normalization of relations between Israel and the Emirates under the 2020 Abraham Accords allowed an influx of Israeli tourists and businessmen to the Emirates. However, the fallout from the Hamas attacks in October 2023 and Israel's military response in Gaza and Lebanon have reignited tensions in the region. These events caused a rise in anger in the Arab world, including in the Emirates, where Israeli initiatives were the subject of protests, online or on the ground.
The kosher store that Kogan managed had recently been the target of online criticism from supporters of the Palestinian cause. During a visit, journalists noted that religious objects, including mezuzahs, had been torn from the store's doors.
An Iranian lead?
Although Israel has not officially accused Iran in the matter, the specter of its involvement hangs over the incident. Iran, the main supporter of Hamas and Hezbollah, has an active presence in the Emirates where hundreds of thousands of Iranians live. In the past, kidnapping operations attributed to Tehran have been carried out on Emirati territory. If an Iranian lead were to be confirmed, it would risk further weakening relations between Israel and the Emirates.
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