Emirati authorities announced on Monday the arrest of three Uzbek nationals suspected in the killing of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a 28-year-old Israeli-Moldovan citizen whose body was found on Sunday in the United Arab Emirates. The incident has raised concerns within the UAE’s Jewish community and sparked allegations of Iranian involvement.
The UAE’s Interior Ministry identified the suspects as Olimboy Tohirovich, 28; Makhmudjon Abdurakhim, 28; and Azizbek Kamilovich, 33. Images released by the ministry showed the men blindfolded and handcuffed. The investigation is ongoing, and it remains unclear whether the men have been formally charged.
Kogan, a rabbi affiliated with the Chabad movement, had been living in the UAE for several years, working on Jewish community outreach. He managed the Rimon Market, a kosher grocery store on Dubai’s Al Wasl Road. Reported missing on Thursday, his body was discovered in the city of Al Ain.
Give the gift of hope
We practice what we preach:
accurate, fearless journalism. But we can't do it alone.
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
- On the ground in Gaza, Syria, Israel, Egypt, Pakistan, and more
- Our program trained more than 100 journalists
- Calling out fake news and reporting real facts
Join us.
Support The Media Line. Save democracy.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the killing as a “heinous antisemitic terrorist act.” He stated, “The murder of the late Zvi Kogan is a criminal antisemitic terrorist attack. The State of Israel will act by all means and bring the criminals responsible for his death to justice.”
Former Israeli politician Ayoob Kara accused Iran of involvement in the murder, a claim that the Iranian Embassy in Abu Dhabi has denied. “The one enemy Israel has today is terrorism, and Iran that supports the terrorism,” Kara said. Israeli officials are reportedly concerned about potential similar threats in other countries.
Kogan’s death has unsettled the UAE’s Jewish community, estimated to number several thousand. UAE Ambassador to Washington Yousef Al Otaiba described the murder as a crime against the Gulf nation. The Jewish community in the UAE has become more visible since the 2020 Abraham Accords, which established official ties between the UAE and Israel.
While the UAE has maintained diplomatic relations with Israel amid regional conflicts, Israelis and Jews have been less prominent in public since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack on Israel. The incident has heightened tensions and led to increased caution among Jewish residents.