söndag 24 november 2024

Found dead after three days: "Terrorist act"


Missing rabbi found dead in Abu Dhabi

Rebecca Rosengart

Updated 22.30 | Published 21.12

Quick version
  • Israeli-Moldavian rabbi Zvi Kogan has been found dead in Abu Dhabi after disappearing during a visit to the United Arab Emirates.
  •  Israel's security services suspect that Kogan was kidnapped and murdered, and accuse Iran of being behind what they describe as an "anti-Semitic terrorist act".
  • The UAE and Israel are investigating the incident, and three Uzbek nationals have been suspected of involvement, while Israel is warning its citizens against travel to the region.
Zvi Kogan har hittats död efter att ha varit försvunnen sedan i torsdags.
Zvi Kogan has been found dead after being missing since Thursday. Photo: Chabad
On Thursday, the wife suspected something was wrong when the husband did not show up for a meeting.

A few days later, the body of the Israeli rabbi was found in Abu Dhabi.

"Disgusting and anti-Semitic," says Israel - which accuses Iran of being behind the act.

On Sunday, the Israeli parliament confirmed that Israeli-Moldovan rabbi Zvi Kogan, 28, who had been missing since Thursday, has been found dead.

The rabbi's body was found in the United Arab Emirates, and officials in Israel's security establishment believe that Kogan was kidnapped and murdered, writes the Israeli newspaper Haaretz.

The rabbi worked as a representative of Chabad in the country, which is an international Orthodox Jewish movement. Chabad's official website says he was abducted in Dubai.

Singled out as terror

However, Haaretz writes that Kogan most likely disappeared near Al Ain, which is located in the eastern region of the United Arab Emirates - about an hour and a half's drive from Dubai.

It is still unclear what happened to the rabbi. Israel has previously singled out the disappearance as a possible act of terrorism - and accused Iran of being behind it.
Netanyahu kallar händelsen för ett ”avskyvärt antisemitiskt terrordåd”.
Netanyahu calls the incident a "heinous act of anti-Semitic terrorism". Photo: Debbie Hill/AP
Israeli security experts told The Telegraph newspaper that suspicion of the disappearance "immediately" fell on Iran. One reason is that the country's intelligence services have previously carried out kidnappings in the United Arab Emirates.

Iran has only confirmed the disappearance of the rabbi, but has not responded to Israel's accusations that it was behind the murder.

"Disgusting and anti-Semitic"

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called the incident in a statement on Sunday a "heinous act of anti-Semitic terrorism." He also said that "the State of Israel will act by all means to seek justice with the criminals responsible for his death."

Both Israel and the United Arab Emirates will investigate the crime. On Sunday evening, it was announced that the UAE Ministry of Interior has arrested "the three perpetrators involved in the murder", according to a statement reported by the state-controlled Wam news agency.

Missing for four days

Concerns for Ziv Kogan began on Thursday when he did not appear at a scheduled meeting and had no contact with his family.

His wife then contacted security staff at Chabad – who in turn contacted local authorities and reported Kogan missing.
Kosher-butiken i Dubai som drev av Ziv Kogan.
The Kosher store in Dubai run by Ziv Kogan. Photo: Jon Gambrell/AP

Israelis are not advised to go there

According to Reuters, the public presence of Israelis and Jews in the United Arab Emirates has diminished since the October 7 attacks. Since that date, it is also recommended that Israelis avoid non-essential travel to the country.

However, Israel and the United Arab Emirates have had a good relationship in recent years. In 2020, the United States brokered a peace agreement between the countries, also known as the Abraham Accords.

Inga kommentarer:

Skicka en kommentar