Israel said on Sunday that a rabbi missing in the United Arab Emirates had been killed in what is believed to be a targeted killing.
Zvi Kogan, who ran a kosher supermarket in Dubai, was found dead in Abu Dhabi after his abandoned car was discovered an hour’s drive from his home.
The Israeli-Moldavian rabbi was an envoy of the Orthodox Jewish organization Chabad, which seeks to build ties with secular and other sects of Judaism.
Kogan, 28, worked with Chabad emissaries to “expand Jewish life in the Emirates,” the organization said in a statement.
On Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to punish the killers. “The murder of Zvi Kogan is a criminal anti-Semitic terrorist incident. The State of Israel will use all its resources to bring the criminals responsible for his death to justice,” a statement from his office said.
@dudikepler
Israeli security experts told The Telegraph that suspicion for the crime immediately fell on Iran.
Oded Ailam, former head of counterintelligence at Israel’s Mossad, said: “The case has raised a wave of questions and speculation about what happened, with Iran immediately suspected of being behind the incident.
“The pattern of action attributed to the Iranians is well known: recruiting local or foreign criminals to carry out acts of sabotage, kidnapping or murder.”
According to court documents and public statements from government officials, Reuters reported since 2020 that there have been at least 33 assassination or kidnapping attempts in the West with local or Israeli authorities claiming a link to Iran. One of the recent alleged targets was a Chabad center in Athens.
The Jewish community in the UAE has been the fastest growing community in the Middle East since the US-brokered Abraham Accords of 2020 opened ties between Israel and Arab states, including the UAE.
Hundreds of Israelis and Diaspora Jews now call the UAE home, with several young rabbis like Mr. Kogan among those serving the community.
Rabbi Zvi Kogan went missing in the United Arab Emirates
“Choosing the Emirates as an arena for action is a statement in itself,” said Mr Ailam. “This is a very complex target, a country that excels in advanced security mechanisms, including a network of smart cameras and advanced surveillance software.
“In addition, the Emirates has an effective security system, although it has not always proven its effectiveness, and allies such as Israel and the United States. The choice to operate there specifically signals Iranian desperation and willingness to risk a harsh diplomatic response from the UAE.”
The UAE and Iran reopened diplomatic ties in 2022. Intelligence agents would investigate any links between Iran and the killers, Mr. Ailam noted.
“It is not surprising that at this stage the UAE authorities are refraining from making public statements attacking Iran and are focusing their efforts on clandestine activities. The assumption is that they are concentrating on locating the perpetrators,” he said.
“In addition to the intensive activity of local authorities, it can be assumed that Mossad and the CIA are also working together on the investigation. If Iran is indeed indicted, it will be another blow to its international image.
“It is important to remember that such a move for Iran is not only an attack on Israel, but also an attempt to undermine Israel’s relations with the Gulf states, especially in light of the Abraham Accords.”
‘Vulnerable target’
Ronen Solomon, an Israeli security analyst, said Kogan was a vulnerable target. His number was reachable because he managed Dubai’s kosher supermarket and because he traveled from his home in Abu Dhabi to Dubai every day. His photo, taken from behind, was also used on the supermarket’s website.
“It is very easy to get in touch with him under the guise of a Jewish tourist looking for kosher food, community events and generally intelligence gathering,” Mr Solomon told The Telegraph.
Asher Ben Artzi, former head of Interpol in Israel, said that despite the agreement between Israel and the UAE, the large presence of Iranians in the country poses a major risk. Since the war in Gaza, Israel has considered it a mid-level threat and has reminded citizens to avoid it for anything other than essential travel.
“Iranian intelligence is very active there and is investing great efforts in locating Israelis who will be targeted in an attack,” he told The Telegraph. “They don’t always act themselves; often they use agents and sources they recruit. Iran’s intelligence service operates with great audacity and ‘boldness’.”
Israeli media reported that three Uzbek nationals are now suspected of involvement in the case.
Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 3 months with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
