Emirati authorities announced on Sunday morning that they located the body of missing Chabad shliach HaRav Tzvi Kogan, H’yd, who was abducted and murdered by terrorists on behalf of Iran.

The Israeli representatives in Abu Dhabi have been in contact with the family since the beginning of the incident and continue to support them during this difficult time. His family in Israel has also been informed.

The Israeli Foreign Ministry says, “The murder of Tzvi Kogan, z’l, is a heinous antisemitic terror incident. The State of Israel will use all means and bring to justice those responsible for his death.”

Israeli security officials confirmed that Mossad teams were sent to Dubai to investigate the case, and they were also in contact with Turkish authorities. According to information they have received, the cell that carried out the act fled from Dubai to Turkey, complicating the investigation further.

Rav Kogan, H’YD 41, was the assistant to Rabbi Levi Duchman, the Chief Rav of the Jewish kehilla in Dubai, and was considered a central figure among the Jewish and Israeli kehilla in the city. He was in Israel last week and returned to his home in Dubai, but contact was lost with him on Wednesday. His wife, who reported his absence, immediately contacted the local security officer, and in response, a joint investigation was launched between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.

Details of the investigation revealed so far indicate that Kogan, H’YD traveled in his private vehicle to a meeting in the city of Al Ain, which is about an hour’s drive from Dubai. However, he never arrived at the meeting. His car was found abandoned near Al Ain, which reinforced the assumption that the terrorists who were tracking him abducted and murdered him.

Rav Kogan served in the IDF’s Givati Brigade. In Dubai, he managed a kosher grocery that served as an important center for Jews and Israelis in the city. His role in community life, as well as his religious involvement, made him a prominent figure in Dubai, which may explain how he attracted the interest of hostile elements.

This shocking event exposes the security risks that Israelis may encounter in the UAE, despite the strong ties between the countries since the Abraham Accords. The investigation is ongoing, and Israel demands full cooperation from the authorities in Dubai and Turkey to apprehend the perpetrators and bring them to justice.

(YWN Israel Desk – Jerusalem)