An Israeli-Moldovan man, Rabbi Zvi Kogan, has mysteriously gone missing in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), and Israeli security agencies are investigating it as a possible terrorist incident. Rabbi Kogan, who is a representative of the Chabad movement of ultra-Orthodox Judaism, has been missing since Thursday. He worked in Dubai, managing a kosher supermarket, and is married to an American woman.
Israeli authorities, including the Mossad (Israel’s intelligence agency) and the National Security Council (NSO), have confirmed the investigation. They believe Kogan’s disappearance may not be a simple case but could be linked to terrorism. According to the Israeli Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), the search for Kogan is ongoing, and there’s concern for his safety.
Kogan’s car was found abandoned in a town called Al Ain, about 90 minutes away from Dubai. His phone had been switched off, adding to the mystery. Israeli sources say they think Kogan may have been kidnapped and possibly murdered by a terrorist group. They suspect that a Uzbek terrorist cell might have followed him after he left his store.
The UAE government is also involved in the search and is working closely with the Israeli authorities. The UAE Foreign Ministry has assured that they are taking strong action to find Kogan and are in constant contact with the Moldovan Embassy in Abu Dhabi to support his family.
This disappearance has raised alarm, especially since the UAE and Israel established formal diplomatic ties in 2020 through the Abraham Accords. Despite this, Israeli officials have warned their citizens about potential risks when traveling to the UAE, listing the country as a moderate threat to terrorism.
The case remains under investigation, and both Israeli and UAE authorities are continuing their efforts to unravel what happened to Rabbi Zvi Kogan. Could this be the beginning of a much bigger story? Only time will tell.
