A statement from the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the Mossad confirmed on Saturday that a Jewish cleric had disappeared in the UAE since Thursday afternoon.

The Israeli statement stated that Rabbi Zvi Kogan, an Israeli and Moldovan citizen and envoy of the Chabad religious movement to the Emirates and residing there, has disappeared since Thursday afternoon.

The statement added, “A broad investigation was opened from the moment of his disappearance, following information that the talk was about a terrorist act,” noting that “the Israeli intelligence and security services are working continuously in light of concern for the safety and security of Zvi Mogen.”

In turn, the Yedioth Ahronoth newspaper said that the man has been missing since Wednesday, and security officials now suspect his murder.

She indicated that the authorities in the UAE, known for its extensive network of surveillance cameras, are leading the investigation into the case.

The UAE authorities have not yet issued any official comment regarding the case.

In response to a phone call from Al-Hurra website, a spokesman for the Chabad movement said that there is no comment or update at the present time regarding the case.

The Israeli National Security Council recently issued a third-level warning (moderate threat) against traveling to the Emirates and recommended refraining from traveling unless necessary, while taking precautionary measures for those who are there.

On September 15, 2020, an agreement was signed to normalize Emirati-Israeli relations under American auspices, and the UAE became the third Arab country to establish full diplomatic relations with Israel after Egypt and Jordan.