Israeli authorities are expressing concern for the safety of Zvi Kogan, an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi living in the United Arab Emirates, who has gone missing. Reports indicate that officials suspect he may have been kidnapped, particularly given the escalating tensions with Iran.
The Israeli Prime Minister’s office confirmed Kogan’s disappearance on Saturday night, although they did not provide further details. Kogan has been missing since noon Thursday, and Israeli media, citing anonymous security sources, reported that he may have been abducted.
This incident occurs amidst threats from Iran to retaliate against Israel following a recent strike on Iranian military bases. Tehran has launched missile attacks on Israel during the ongoing conflict related to the Israel-Hamas war and the military actions in Lebanon.
Emirati officials and local Jewish leaders did not immediately respond to inquiries regarding Kogan’s situation. In response to the disappearance, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office stated that an extensive investigation is underway, with intelligence and security agencies actively involved due to concerns about a potential terrorist incident.
While the statement did not specify Iran’s involvement, there have been previous cases where Iranian intelligence reportedly conducted kidnappings in the UAE. Such incidents include the kidnapping of British-Iranian national Abbas Yazdi in 2013, and Iranian-German Jamshid Sharmahd in 2020, who was later executed in Tehran.
The UAE recognized Israel diplomatically in 2020, leading to increased Israeli presence for business and tourism. Despite growing connections, there is significant anger among Emiratis and others within the region regarding the ongoing conflicts in the Middle East.
Credit: NBC News
