Israel on Sunday called on its citizens to "avoid non-essential travel" to the UAE, after the body of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, who had been missing since last Thursday, was found.

This came in a statement by the Israeli National Security Council, published by the private Hebrew Channel (12).

The statement read: "Following reports of the killing of Zvi Kogan in the United Arab Emirates as a result of a terrorist act, the National Security Council has tightened its recommendation to avoid non-essential travel to the country."

He added: "The National Security Council asks (Israelis in the Emirates) to exercise increased vigilance in public places, avoid displaying Israeli symbols, and avoid posting details of the trip on social media."

Earlier on Sunday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's office and the Israeli Foreign Ministry said in a joint statement that "the intelligence and security authorities in the UAE have found the body of Kogan, who has been missing since Thursday, November 21, 2024."

He added: "The Israeli Embassy in Abu Dhabi has been in contact with the family since the beginning of the incident and continues to accompany them during their difficult time."

He continued, "The murder of Zvi Kogan is a criminal, anti-Semitic terrorist incident, and Israel will act by all means and bring to justice the criminals responsible for his murder."

There was no immediate comment from the UAE authorities on this matter until (08:30 GMT).

On Saturday, Netanyahu's office and the Mossad intelligence agency said in a joint statement that Rabbi Zvi Kogan, an Israeli citizen of Moldovan origin who lives in the UAE, "disappeared under mysterious circumstances since Thursday afternoon."

The UAE authorities also announced on Saturday that they are searching for a Moldovan citizen who is missing in the country.

Majid Al Mansouri, Director of the Foreign Nationals Department at the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs, said in a statement that "the ministry is closely following the case of the disappearance of a Moldovan citizen named Yezvi Kogan."

Al Mansouri added that the Ministry of Foreign Affairs "is in contact with Kogan's family and is providing them with all necessary support," and that the ministry "is in continuous contact with the Moldovan Embassy in Abu Dhabi in this regard."

He explained that "the competent authorities in the country began search and investigation operations immediately after receiving the report."

According to the Hebrew newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth, Kogan was officially residing in the UAE as an assistant to the Chief Rabbi of Abu Dhabi.

Chabad is an extremist organization that does not believe in the existence of Palestinians and calls for their expulsion from occupied Palestine. It opposes any agreement that would give them part of the land.

The organization's members are present in several countries, including the United States, France, and Canada, in addition to the Emirates, where they established the Jewish community center, which contains a synagogue and Torah scrolls. The center is headed by Rabbi Levi Duchman.