UAE Authorities Arrest Three Uzbeks in Connection with Rabbi Kogan's Murder

Following the tragic murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the UAE, local authorities have arrested three Uzbek nationals as prime suspects. The incident has drawn condemnation from Israel and Moldova, and raises questions about international security dynamics.

Authorities in the United Arab Emirates announced the arrest of three Uzbek nationals in connection with the murder of Israeli-Moldovan rabbi Zvi Kogan, a representative of the Chabad Lubavitch organization in Abu Dhabi. The interior ministry revealed the suspects, named Olimboy Tohirovich, Makhmudjon Abdurakhim, and Azizbek Kamilovich, through published images showing them blindfolded.

Rabbi Kogan, 28, was reported missing by his wife after failing to attend a scheduled meeting last Thursday. His body was discovered three days later. Israeli officials have condemned the act as "abhorrent antisemitic terrorist attack," emphasizing that those responsible must be held accountable.

In a statement, the UAE’s ambassador to the US expressed that Kogan's murder represents a significant crime against the Gulf state and its values, specifically highlighting the relationship established with Israel in 2020. Rabbi Kogan's body has since been transported to Jerusalem for burial, with his funeral anticipated at the Mount of Olives.

The UAE's security forces have initiated investigations with the arrested suspects in preparation for a referral to public prosecution. Local reports suggest that a suspected cell, allegedly operating indirectly under Iranian influence, could be tied to the killing; however, the Iranian embassy has denied any involvement.

Furthermore, speculation has emerged regarding possible links to Palestinian Islamic Jihad or Hamas as potential perpetrators. Chabad, the organization Rabbi Kogan worked for, reported that he was kidnapped while on duty in Dubai and driven away towards the Oman border, with his vehicle found abandoned in Al Ain.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed that the full force of the law would be directed at bringing the rabbi’s killers to justice, stating that "none of them will get away." Moldova's President Maia Sandu joined in expressing sorrow over the situation, condemning the act and extending condolences to Kogan's family and the broader Jewish community.

The incident marks a troubling escalation in security concerns within the region, as the international community wrestles with the implications of Kogan's murder.