Missing Chabad Emissary in UAE Now Treated as Terror Attack
Israeli intelligence agencies have announced that the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the United Arab Emirates is now being investigated as a terrorist attack. Kogan, who served as a Chabad emissary and managed the kosher supermarket Rimon in Dubai, was last seen on Thursday afternoon, with his family’s final contact occurring on Wednesday.
Baruch Dayan Haemet
With great pain we share that Rabbi Zvi Kogan, Chabad-Lubavitch emissary to Abu Dhabi, UAE, was murdered by terrorists after being abducted on Thursday.
His body was recovered early Sunday morning, and his family has been notified.
Please do a mitzvah in… pic.twitter.com/UwKmGqu3YK— Chabad.org (@Chabad) November 24, 2024
According to Mossad officials, “We know he was under surveillance at the supermarket. He disappeared this week, and we believe the perpetrators fled to Turkey. His body has not been found.” The investigation has revealed that three Uzbek operatives reportedly followed Kogan after he left his grocery store, tracking him to Al Ain, approximately 90 minutes from Dubai, where his abandoned vehicle was later discovered.
According to suspicions, he was likely kidnapped and murdered by the Uzbek terror cell, which Iran allegedly directed to provide Tehran with plausible deniability. These operatives subsequently fled to Turkey. Israeli intelligence agencies are expected to coordinate with Turkish authorities to pursue leads. The Iranians’ use of Uzbek Shiite terrorists is widespread, and they have also operated in Dubai.
Iranian terror group the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed responsibility for the murder. The IRGC released a statement on social media that said, “As part of the first stage of Operation “Ensuring Truth 3,” and in fulfillment of their promise in response to Zionist aggression on Iranian lands and violations of Iranian sovereignty, the Iranian Revolutionary Guards have declared full responsibility for the abduction of the Israeli extremist Rabbi Tzvi Kogan.”
The UAE Interior Ministry has launched an aggressive investigation, mobilizing its sophisticated surveillance network immediately upon receiving the missing person report. “The specialized authorities immediately began search and investigation operations upon receiving the report,” the ministry stated. Given the UAE’s comprehensive CCTV coverage, investigators are meticulously reviewing footage from multiple locations, focusing particularly on the route between Dubai and Al Ain. The investigation has been complicated by the fact that Kogan entered the UAE on his Moldovan passport, initially directing authorities to coordinate with Moldovan rather than Israeli officials.
The case has taken on additional complexity due to Kogan’s dual citizenship. The UAE Interior Ministry’s statement referred to him as a Moldovan citizen, as he had entered the country using his Moldovan passport. This detail led authorities to initially contact the Moldovan embassy rather than Israeli officials. The ministry has urged the public to “avoid heeding malicious rumors or misleading news aimed at causing confusion.”
Kogan’s disappearance carries particular poignancy within the Jewish community. He had married just six months ago to a niece of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, who was killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks. A former member of the IDF’s Givati Brigade, Kogan worked closely with Rabbi Levi Duchman, the chief rabbi of the UAE’s Jewish community. Local residents described him as “a kind and active member of the community.”
The Jewish community in the UAE has experienced significant growth since the Abraham Accords were signed in 2020. Under the leadership of Rabbi Levi Duchman, the community has established multiple synagogues, kosher restaurants, and Jewish educational facilities. The Rimon supermarket, which Kogan managed, represents one of several kosher establishments that have opened to serve both local Jews and the increasing number of Israeli tourists and business travelers. The community has grown from a small group of expatriate Jews who practiced their faith quietly to a vibrant, open community of several thousand members. The UAE has demonstrated strong support for its Jewish residents, even establishing the country’s first Jewish day school and appointing its first Chief Rabbi, marking a significant shift in the region’s religious landscape.
The incident bears striking similarities to the 2020 kidnapping of Jamshid Sharmahd, a German-American citizen who was allegedly abducted by Iran while traveling through Dubai. In that case, Emirati authorities tracked Sharmahd’s phone to Al Ain before losing the signal at Sohar Port in Oman. Iran later claimed to have captured him in what they termed a “complex operation.”
The UAE’s sophisticated surveillance infrastructure may prove crucial in the investigation. The country is known for its extensive network of closed-circuit cameras monitoring nearly every street, making it one of the most heavily surveilled nations globally. A delegation from Israel has arrived in the UAE to assist with the investigation, working alongside local authorities.
The disappearance comes at a significant moment in Israeli-UAE relations. The two countries normalized diplomatic ties in 2020 through the Abraham Accords, alongside Bahrain, Morocco, and Sudan. This historic agreement opened new channels for cooperation in various sectors, including security, technology, and commerce, marking a dramatic shift in Middle Eastern geopolitics. The accords have facilitated increased Jewish presence and activity in the UAE, including establishing kosher facilities and religious services.
Chabad-Lubavitch emissaries, known as shluchim, represent one of the largest Jewish outreach networks globally. These dedicated couples and individuals serve Jewish communities in over 100 countries, operating schools, synagogues, and community centers. They provide essential religious services, kosher food, and cultural programming to both local Jewish populations and traveling businesspeople or tourists. Their mission often takes them to remote locations where Jewish infrastructure is minimal, making them crucial lifelines for Jewish life in diaspora communities. Chabad houses are known for welcoming all Jews regardless of affiliation or observance level, operating under the movement’s principle of “love for every Jew.”
The Prime Minister’s Office has issued a statement on behalf of Mossad, confirming that “Israeli intelligence and security agencies are working tirelessly out of concern for his safety and well-being.” The statement also noted that the National Security Council had previously issued a Level 3 travel warning for the UAE, recommending against non-essential travel and advising heightened precautions for those in the country.
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