Three people have been sentenced to death in the United Arab Emirates (U.A.E.) after being convicted of the premeditated murder of an Israeli-Moldovan rabbi.
The ruling follows a high-profile investigation into the brutal killing, which sent shockwaves through both the local and international Jewish communities.
Newsweek has reached out to the Israeli Prime Minister's office for comment.
Why It Matters
The murder drew international attention, prompting strong condemnations from both the U.S. and Israel, which had urged the U.A.E. to ensure full accountability. The U.A.E. has become one of Israel's most closely linked countries in the Middle East after it joined the Abraham Accords under U.S. President Donald Trump in 2020.
Relations between many Arab countries and Israel have been under extra strain since its war with Hamas which has devastated the Gaza Strip since the Palestinian Islamist group attacked Israel in October 2023.
What To Know
The court sentenced three defendants to the death penalty and a fourth to life imprisonment for the "premeditated murder with terrorist intention," the Emirati News Agency WAM reported. The defendants were convicted of the kidnapping and murder of Moldovan-Israeli citizen Zvi Kogan, who went missing in the U.A.E. back in November 2024, and was later found dead.
Kogan, 28, was an ultra-Orthodox rabbi and entrepreneur who managed Rimon Market, a kosher grocery store in Dubai, a city that has seen an influx of Israeli tourists and businesses since the Abraham Accords.
The Uzbek defendants were arrested in Turkey in November, as Uzbekistan stood in solidarity with Israel and decried "terrorism and extremism," according to The Associated Press.
The arrested suspects were brought to trial in the U.A.E. State prosecutors said they had tracked and murdered the victim and later confessed to the crime, according to WAM.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office had called Kogan's murder a "heinous antisemitic terror incident". The U.S. National Security Council had also described it as a "horrific crime against all those who stand for peace, tolerance, and coexistence," a November statement by embassy in the U.A.E read.
Both the U.S. and Israel said then they were coordinating with the U.A.E. to bring perpetuators to justice.
What People Are Saying
U.A.E. Attorney General Hamad al-Shamsi, according to WAM: "The verdict reflects the U.A.E.'s unwavering commitment to combating terrorism in accordance with the highest standards of justice and the rule of law while ensuring fair trial guarantees. The U.A.E. stands as a global model of coexistence and tolerance, where its laws protect all residents, regardless of religion or ethnicity, ensuring their safety and security."
Political Commentator Rabbi Elie Abadie told i24 News Channel: "We have been feeling safe since the beginning. His memory will always be remembered – it is a great, great loss for the community."
U.A.E. Political Affairs Analyst Amjad Taha on X: "When Rabbi Zvi Kogan was killed, the U.A.E. swiftly arrested the perpetrators and brought them to justice. Soon, our respected Jewish community will witness righteous, firm, and strong justice in action."
What Happens Next
The verdict is set to be reviewed and receive final adjudication by the local Federal Supreme Court according to Emirati laws on capital punishment sentences.
Top stories
About the writer
Amira El-Fekki is a Newsweek reporter based in Dubai. Her focus is reporting on politics and society in the Middle ... Read more