The New York Times received massive backlash after publishing a report about a murdered rabbi living in the UAE with a headline claiming he "disappeared" and was "found dead."
The outlet was the first to cover the death of 28-year-old Rabbi Zvi Kogan, a usual citizen of Israel and Moldova, whose body was found near Dubai on Sunday. The headline for the initial report read: "Israeli rabbi who disappeared in Dubai is found dead." The NYT later changed the headline to: "An Israeli Rabbi Is Abducted and Killed in the U.A.E." after many online critics, including prominent Democratic political figures, called the outlet out for appearing to downplay the elements of terrorism and antisemitism surrounding Kogan's death.
"Rabbi Kogan was not 'found dead', he was murdered," former New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo posted on X. "There is a disturbing pattern whereby some in the media — and particularly the [New York Times] — downplay antisemitic acts. It must be called out and addressed."
"Contrary to the NY Times, Rabbi Zvi Kogan did not just ‘disappear’ in Dubai," Rep. Ritchie Torres, D-N.Y., stated. "He was abducted and murdered because he was a Jew. The media should call the kidnapping and killing of Rabbi Kogan exactly what it is: an act of antisemitic terror.
"Excuse me @nytimes, the rabbi didn’t ‘disappear.’ He was abducted and then killed. He was targeted & killed because he was Jewish. It was an act of terrorism. Be better than this New York Times," former Illinois congressman Joe Walsh said.
Israel confirmed that Kogan's body was found by Emirati authorities. The Israeli government has called the rabbi's murder an "act of antisemitic terrorism." Kogan was a representative of the Jewish Chabad movement with his outreach being in Abu Dhabi, where he and his wife lived.
So far, 3 Uzbeks have been arrested over the murder of Kogan, however investigators have not released an official motive, the NYT reports. A statement from the U.A.E.’s interior ministry named the suspects as Olimboy Tohirovich, Makhmudjon Abdurakhim, both 28, and Azizbek Kamilovich, 33. It included photos of them blindfolded and handcuffed. Iran, who has joined the war against Israel on behalf of Hamas, has historically used Uzbeks to perform hits on political enemies.
“The murder of Zvi Kogan, of blessed memory, is an abhorrent act of antisemitic terrorism,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement. “The State of Israel will use all means and will deal with the criminals responsible for his death to the fullest extent of the law.”
Kogan arrived in the UAE before its relations with Israel were normalized and he was considered a major player in reinforcing the Jewish community in the country.
