Israel terms rabbi's killing in UAE anti-semitic act

Israel condemned Sunday the murder of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi in the United Arab Emirates, calling it anti-Semitic "terrorism" and vowing to ensure the perpetrators are brought to justice.

The body of Tzvi Kogan, who had been missing since Thursday, was found by security services in the Gulf Arab state, the prime minister's office and the foreign ministry said in a joint statement.

"The murder of Tzvi Kogan, of blessed memory, is a heinous act of antisemitic terrorism," it said, adding Israel would do everything in its power "to ensure that justice is served and that those responsible for his death are held accountable."

Kogan was a representative of the Chabad Hasidic movement, an ultra-Orthodox Jewish group known for its outreach efforts worldwide.

Israeli officials did not provide any details about the circumstances of his murder.

The United Arab Emirates, which normalised relations with Israel in 2020 alongside other countries including Bahrain and Morocco, has yet to confirm his death.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had on Saturday said Israel was investigating Kogan's disappearance in the UAE as a "terrorist incident".

"This vile antisemitic attack is a reminder of the inhumanity of the enemies of the Jewish people," Israeli President Isaac Herzog said.

Herzog said the murder would not "deter us from continuing to grow flourishing communities in the UAE or anywhere".

Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz described the killing as a "cowardly and despicable anti-Semitic terrorist crime" in a post on X.

The Moldovan foreign ministry said its embassy in Abu Dhabi was cooperating with local officials and "closely monitoring the situation, providing the necessary support".

It only mentioned Kogan was missing and did not refer to his death.

Israel renewed a warning for Israelis to avoid any non-essential travel to the UAE, and advised citizens already in the Gulf country to take extra precautions.

On Saturday, an Emirati official had said the foreign ministry was in touch with Kogan's family and the Moldovan embassy. Emirati authorities had launched a probe.

But Emirati officials have since not said anything about Kogan's murder.

In a message on X, the Chabad-Lubavitch movement Kogan belonged to expressed its "great pain" alongside a photo of the rabbi, adding that he had been "murdered by terrorists after being abducted on Thursday".

The UAE, which is made up of seven emirates, prides itself on being a tolerant and safe country for residents and visitors.

The oil-rich Gulf state, whose population is made up mainly of expatriates, opened an interfaith centre last year in Abu Dhabi housing a mosque, a church and a synagogue.

But the war in Gaza triggered by Palestinian militant group Hamas's attack on Israel on October 7, 2023 has sparked rising anger in the Middle East.

In Jordan, a man was killed Sunday after opening fire on and wounding three members of the security forces near the Israeli embassy in the capital Amman, state media said, in an incident described by the government spokesman as a "terrorist attack".

Investigations were underway to uncover the circumstances and motives behind the attack.