DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — A rabbi of Israeli-Moldovan descent, Zvi Kogan, who has been residing in the United Arab Emirates, has gone missing. Israeli authorities expressed concerns on Saturday that he may have been kidnapped amidst escalating tensions with Iran.
Israeli media, citing anonymous security sources, reported that Kogan was last seen around noon on Thursday. While the Israeli Prime Minister’s office confirmed his disappearance late Saturday, they provided few details.
Kogan’s disappearance coincides with Iran’s threats of retaliation against Israel following its military actions in October, which targeted significant military installations within Iran. This period has seen Tehran launch missile strikes aimed at Israel amid the ongoing Israel-Hamas conflict in Gaza and Israel’s military operations in Lebanon.
Following Kogan’s disappearance, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office stated, “An extensive investigation has commenced, considering that this may be a terrorist act. Our intelligence and security agencies are working diligently to ensure Zvi Kogan’s safety and well-being.”
Emirati authorities have yet to respond to requests for comment regarding Kogan’s whereabouts, and state-controlled media in the UAE, which consists of seven emirates including Abu Dhabi and Dubai, has not reported on the issue. Local Jewish leaders in the UAE also opted not to comment.
While Israeli officials did not specifically attribute Kogan’s disappearance to Iran, there are concerns given Iran’s history of conducting kidnappings in the UAE. Western intelligence suggests that Iran operates actively within the UAE, monitoring the large Iranian expatriate community living in the country.
Prior incidents include the suspicious disappearance and presumed execution of British-Iranian national Abbas Yazdi in Dubai in 2013, which Iran has dismissed. Similarly, Iranian-German Jamshid Sharmahd was abducted in 2020 and later executed in Tehran.
Despite these tensions, the UAE formally recognized Israel in 2020, leading to increased Israeli presence in the country for business and tourism. Emirati airlines have also become crucial links for Israel to the world, especially as other international carriers have ceased flights to Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv due to regional conflicts.
The UAE hosts a growing Jewish community, featuring synagogues and businesses that cater to kosher diets. However, rising regional conflicts have sparked significant anger among Emiratis, Arab nationals, and other residents in the UAE regarding the situation in the Middle East.
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Reich reported from New York.
