Kogan’s body was discovered on Saturday, November 23, following a joint investigation by UAE authorities and Israeli intelligence agency Mossad. His abandoned car was found approximately an hour’s drive from his residence in Dubai.
In a joint statement on Sunday, November 24, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned the murder as a “heinous antisemitic terrorist act.”
Netanyahu, addressing his cabinet meeting, said, “The State of Israel will use all means at its disposal to bring the murderers of Kogan and those who sent them to justice. This is an attack on Jewish life and faith.”
Israeli President Isaac called the act “a vile, antisemitic attack.”
Kogan had been living in Dubai as part of his mission with the Chabad movement, working to establish Jewish life in the UAE.
He was instrumental in founding the first Jewish education center in the region and managing a kosher supermarket.
The Chabad organization, in a statement on its website, revealed that Kogan was likely abducted, and the case is being treated as terrorism.
“The murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan is a profound tragedy for Jewish communities worldwide. He dedicated his life to connecting Jews and expanding Jewish life in the Emirates,” it stated.
Kogan’s wife, Rivky, a U.S. citizen, comes from a family that has already faced tragedy—her uncle, Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, was killed in the 2008 Mumbai terror attacks.
The UAE Interior Ministry confirmed it received a missing person report on Friday, November 22, and launched an investigation. Officials have yet to release specific details about the perpetrators or motives behind the attack.
The murder occurs during a period of increasing tensions in the Middle East following the October 7 attacks.
Security concerns have reportedly led to the closure of informal synagogues in Dubai, and Jewish residents have reduced public gatherings.
While the UAE normalized relations with Israel in 2020 under the U.S.-brokered Abraham Accords, Israeli travel advisories now warn against non-essential travel to the region, citing increased risks to nationals.
Netanyahu pledged to bring the perpeprators to justice, saying, “This heinous act of terror is an assault on the values of peace and tolerance.”
