Official announcements from Israeli or UAE authorities, or credible news sources

Chabad Rabbi Zvi Kogan Missing in UAE; Iran-Linked Kidnapping Suspected

Nov 23, 2024, 04:15 PM

Rabbi Zvi Kogan, an Israeli-Moldovan citizen and assistant to the chief Chabad emissary in the United Arab Emirates, has been missing since Thursday, November 21, 2024. Kogan managed a kosher supermarket in Dubai. Israeli intelligence agency Mossad and UAE authorities are investigating his disappearance, treating it as a terrorist incident. Sources indicate that Kogan was possibly under surveillance by Iranian intelligence, and a terrorist cell of Uzbek origin operating on behalf of the Islamic Republic of Iran is suspected of involvement. His car was found abandoned near Abu Dhabi, and it is believed that the perpetrators may have fled to Turkey. Kogan is the nephew of Rabbi Gavriel Holtzberg, who was murdered in the 2008 Mumbai Chabad House attack. The Israeli National Security Council has issued a travel advisory, urging Israelis to avoid non-essential travel to the UAE. Kogan's family, initially unaware of the situation, has since been notified. Both nations are working closely to locate him.