Three individuals arrested on charges of murdering Rabbi Tzvi Kogan are citizens of Uzbekistan aged between 28 and 33, as reported by the UAE Ministry of Interior. They conducted a search for the rabbi in collaboration with Israel, which has already described the incident involving Kogan as a "monstrous act of anti-Semitism."
The rabbi, who held passports from Moldova and Israel, lost contact with his family several days ago, and the day before, police discovered his body in a car near Abu Dhabi, confirming that he had been murdered.
28-year-old Kogan was an assistant to the chief rabbi of the Jewish community in the Emirates and operated a kosher store. He had been living in Dubai since 2020 when the two countries established diplomatic relations as part of the Abraham Accords.
Observers believe that the abduction and murder of Kogan may be linked to Tehran.
The UAE authorities condemned the attack on the rabbi. A senior Emirati diplomat, Anwar Gargash, expressed hope on social media that "the UAE will remain a home of safety, an oasis of stability, and a society of tolerance."
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that he is "deeply shaken" by the events. He thanked the Emirati authorities for their swift actions in locating the rabbi. Following Kogan's murder, the Israeli National Security Council advised Israelis to refrain from visiting the UAE.