World
November 24, 2024 16:30
tel aviv - Israel accuses Iran of being behind the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the UAE, escalating tensions between the two countries.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vows to capture the perpetrators responsible for the murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan in the UAE. Netanyahu alleges that the murder was an attempt by the 'axis of evil' to disrupt the ties between Israel and the Emirates, implicating Iran and its allies, including Hezbollah.
It is widely known that Iran's secret service has a strong presence in the Emirates, a neighboring country with a substantial Iranian community. In the past, they have detained regime opponents on multiple occasions there. Kogan was abducted last Thursday from the kosher supermarket he operated in Abu Dhabi.
His car was found in Al Ain on Sunday, about 150 kilometers away, with his body later discovered with various injuries. Traces of a struggle were evident in the vehicle. Israel believes the perpetrators have fled to Turkey, where a significant portion of Hamas leadership currently resides.
Kogan, an Israeli with Moldovan citizenship, represented Chabad, a Jewish Orthodox organization with missions worldwide. Additionally, he served as an assistant to the Chief Rabbi of the Emirates. Since the peace agreement with Israel in 2020, there has been a growing public Jewish presence in the Arab country.
The relationship between the two nations has slightly cooled due to the Gaza conflict, but airlines from the Emirates have remained among the few foreign carriers flying to Israel over the past year. There is optimism that, led by Donald Trump, serious efforts will be made towards peace between Israel and Saudi Arabia in the coming years.
This development is irksome to Tehran, as one of the alleged motives behind the 7/10 bloodshed was to halt the rapprochement between these two countries. According to Israeli media, Kogan had been under surveillance by Iran's secret service for some time.
Israel and Iran are in a state of war and have engaged in direct confrontations twice this year, marking the first such clashes between the archenemies. Tehran has been hinting at a new military action against the Jewish state for weeks but seems to be adopting a cautious approach following Trump's election victory.
If Iran is indeed responsible for the assassination, it would signify a significant escalation. Kogan had no ties to the Israeli government, military, or security services and is believed to have been targeted solely based on his nationality and religion.
Last year, Mossad warned of avenging any Jew or Israeli killed in a terrorist attack abroad. The risks for Israelis and Jews worldwide have escalated significantly. Earlier this month, Mossad cautioned about a potential attack on Israelis in Thailand and advised Israelis to leave a certain area of Sri Lanka promptly.
Subsequently, an Afghan was apprehended in Sri Lanka, claiming he was hired by Iran to target Israelis. Additionally, Israelis have been victims of anti-Semitic violence in Western cities, including Amsterdam.
Following the assassination in the Emirates, Israel's National Security Council repeated its travel advisory for the country, urging against all non-essential trips. Kogan was widely beloved by family and friends, including those in the Emirates.
He had resided in Abu Dhabi for nearly four years and led the first Holocaust memorial in the country in 2021. Kogan was the nephew of Rabbi Gabriel Holtzberg, who was killed along with his wife in a terrorist attack in Mumbai in 2008.