UAE official pays respects at shiva of murdered Chabad emissary, vows commitment to coexistence

A high-ranking United Arab Emirates official visited during the shiva weeklong mourning period of murdered Chabad emissary Rabbi Zvi Kogan on Friday while emphasizing the nation’s commitment to coexistence and condemning the attack as an act of extremism.

Dr. Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi, a senior member of the UAE Federal National Council and chairman of the Defense, Interior, and Foreign Affairs Committee, visited the shiva to offer his condolences to the grieving family personally.

Kogan’s murder has sent shockwaves through local and global communities.

During his visit, Al Nuaimi reiterated the Emirates’ commitment to peace and mutual respect among its diverse communities.

“The UAE will never allow extremists to divide us. Today, more than ever, our country and its people are committed to the values of openness and peace,” he stated, vowing to honor Kogan’s legacy by fostering harmony across all communities in the Middle Eastern country.

Investigation into the murder

The UAE Interior Ministry identified three Uzbek nationals as suspects in Kogan’s murder. Olimpi Tohirovich, Makhmudjon Abdurrahim, and Azizi Kamilovich were arrested and are under investigation for their alleged involvement in what Emirati authorities have described as a potential “terrorist incident.”

Kogan, an Israeli-Moldovan national and resident of the UAE, had been working with the Chabad movement to support Jewish community life in the Gulf. He was reported missing by his family and later found killed in Al Ain, approximately 90 minutes from Dubai.

The Prime Minister’s Office in Israel condemned the killing as a “heinous antisemitic terrorist act,” and Israeli authorities have collaborated with Emirati officials in the ongoing investigation.

Former Israeli minister Ayoob Kara alleged possible Iranian involvement in the attack, though officials in Tehran denied the accusation. Israeli officials are now expressing concerns about the potential for similar attacks targeting Jews and Israelis in other countries.