The body of Israeli-Moldovan rabbi Tzvi Kogan, who disappeared in the Emirates on Thursday, has been found, with Israel denouncing an “act of anti-Semitic terrorism”.
Emirati authorities have found the body of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi who has been missing since Thursday in the United Arab Emirates, the Israeli government announced on Sunday, which described the case as“heinous act of anti-Semitic terrorism”.
The murder of Tzvi Kogan “is a heinous act of anti-Semitic terrorism”the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and the Foreign Ministry said in a joint statement. “The State of Israel will use all means at its disposal to ensure that justice is done and those responsible for his death are held accountable.”they added.
The United Arab Emirates, one of the Arab countries having normalized relations with Israel as part of the Abraham Accords signed in 2020 under the aegis of Donald Trump, immediately launched a search to find the missing rabbi.
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office indicated on Saturday that Tzvi Kogan, who had been missing for two days, was already the subject of an investigation suggesting a possible lead “terrorist”although no concrete details were then provided to support this hypothesis. The Mossad, the Israeli foreign intelligence service, had also opened an investigation.
On Sunday, the Israeli government did not say where the body was found or provide information on the identity of potential suspects. The circumstances of Tzvi Kogan’s death remain unclear, even in the Israeli media.
Tzvi Kogan was an emissary of the Chabad Lubavitch Hasidic movement, an ultra-Orthodox group known for its global missionary involvement. Long established in the United Arab Emirates, the Chabad Lubavitch movement aims to strengthen Jewish identity and bring Jews closer to their faith, particularly through its community centers.
Rabbi Tzvi Kogan United Arab Emirates Israel
