UAE’s Bid to Create a ‘Safe Environment for Israelis’ Falls Apart
The UAE’s initiative to ensure a “safe environment for Israelis” suffered a sharp collapse after the murder of Jewish rabbi Zvi Kogan, whose body was discovered days after his disappearance.
This incident has raised the UAE’s most pressing concerns, signaling a possible “shift in the security environment for Israelis” in the Gulf state, which formally normalized ties with Israel in 2020.
In response to the killing, Israel’s National Security Agency updated its travel guidelines, advising Israelis to avoid non-essential trips to the UAE, citing fears of continued threats. The agency stated: “Terrorist elements killed an Israeli citizen in the UAE, raising concerns of an ongoing risk to Israelis.”
Kogan, an emissary of the Orthodox Jewish Chabad group dedicated to supporting Jewish life in the Gulf, was last seen in Dubai before his body was found in Al Ain, near the Oman border. Former Israeli Druze politician Ayoob Kara confirmed the discovery but noted that the location of the murder remains unclear pending UAE investigations.
While Emirati and Israeli authorities refrained from detailing the suspects or motives, the UAE’s Ministry of Interior is actively investigating. Anwar Gargash, a diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, reassured the public that the country remains “an oasis of stability and coexistence,” though his remarks avoided direct reference to the incident.
Israeli authorities have reissued warnings for travelers to exercise extreme caution, avoiding areas associated with the Israeli or Jewish community. Security concerns have already led to the closure of unofficial synagogues in Dubai following the October 7 Hamas attack, leaving Abu Dhabi’s government-sanctioned synagogue as the sole open Jewish worship site.
Zvi Kogan’s death has sparked broader fears among Israeli and Jewish communities in the region, with concerns that escalating regional tensions may compromise the UAE’s reputation as a secure destination. Emirati authorities, notably, referred to Kogan solely by his Moldovan nationality, omitting his Israeli identity in official statements.
The case has also attracted the attention of Israeli intelligence agency Mossad, which is investigating the possibility of terrorism as a motive. Meanwhile, the American Wall Street Journal described the incident as a worrying sign of potential targeting of Israeli nationals abroad, exacerbated by the broader regional instability tied to the Gaza conflict.
This development represents a significant challenge to the UAE’s ambitions as a safe and neutral hub for diverse communities in a geopolitically sensitive region.
