The Israeli intelligence service Mossad is investigating the disappearance of a rabbi after receiving information related to a “terrorist incident.”
Zvi Kogan, an Israeli citizen of Moldovan origin, has been missing in Abu Dhabi since Thursday.
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Mr. Kogan is Chabad's representative in the United Arab Emirates.
The Israeli Prime Minister's Office said that the country's security and intelligence services are investigating the rabbi's disappearance.
A ministry spokesman said: “Mossad has informed that since his disappearance, and due to information indicating that this is a terrorist incident, an active investigation is underway in the country.”
He added, “The Israeli security and intelligence services, concerned with Kogan's safety and well-being, are working tirelessly in this case.”
The Prime Minister's Office also reminded citizens that the National Security Council advises Israelis to travel to the UAE only for essential reasons.
The travel advisory warned Israelis: “In major cities, or places where demonstrations or protests are taking place, hide anything that could identify you as an Israeli or Jew.”
Emirati officials did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Saturday.
State-run media in the United Arab Emirates, an authoritarian federation of seven sheikhdoms on the Arabian Peninsula and home to Abu Dhabi and Dubai, did not immediately report the incident.
The United Arab Emirates diplomatically recognized Israel in 2020, a deal it has honored even as the war between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza Strip and Israel's ground invasion of Lebanon continues.
While the Israeli letter did not mention Iran, Iranian intelligence services have carried out kidnappings in the past in the UAE.
What is the Chabad movement?
The Chabad movement is a Hasidic Jewish organization that focuses on religious concepts such as the soul, God, and the meaning of the Jewish commandments.
It was founded in 1775 by Rabbi Schneur Zalman in what is now Belarus. It is one of the largest outposts of Jewish organizations.
Chabad's practices are generally consistent with those of the broader Orthodox world, but the group has some unique practices.
As of 2021, Chabad includes 4,900 missionary families operating 3,500 institutions in 100 countries and territories. Chabad works not only in major metropolitan areas, but even in small towns and rural areas.
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