Commentary by Serwan Zangana
The Jewish rabbi Zvi Kogan, who lived in the United Arab Emirates, was missing in November of 2024. Later in the same month, his body was found near the border of Oman. In fact, three Uzbek nationals who were arrested by the UAE authorities and sentenced to death by a court on Monday murdered Rabbi Kogan. The Abu Dhabi Federal Appeal court ruled that the murder of rabbi Kogan was an act of “terrorism.”
Indeed, with last year’s American University students’ protests, mostly violent, Jews have been living under the stress of the threat in America, as well. The pro-Palestinians and Hamas targeted them. Obviously, when a certain group’s comfort zone is breached, regardless of a belief or a political affiliation of such a group, there will be a freedom crisis. This is what the Jewish community experienced last year during the protests in America.
The UAE took a legitimate and firm step in its position against terrorism and anti-semitism by sentencing the murderers of rabbi Zvi to death. Neither rabbi Zvi nor any other religious person deserves his/her life to be taken away. Viewing the picture in the U.S, obviously, America’s society has been trending down the hill with its violent protests and intolerable mentality attributed to some of the American elected officials and representatives.
The protesters last year attempted to turn the Universities to a conflict zone and have the classrooms as battlefields. However, the U.S authority was not able to take a measure and protect the comfort zone of the Jewish students, and the Universities administrations have failed to point at the violent acts against the Jewish students and adhere to a fair and solid policy to protect all students equally.
As the United States is standing firm against global terrorism and defending human rights across the world, it is failing to protect its own citizens in America. Apparently, the political conflict has impacted American people and created a hostile environment in the public. Seemingly, the tolerance in America’s diverse society is declining as people are dividing based on their political, religious, and differing views, over all.
It is noteworthy that the UAE Attorney General Dr. Hamad Saif Al Shamsi assured the public and the world that the UAE is a model society for diversity, and its judiciary system tackles any attempts that undermine the security of the country. According to Emirates News Agency, the Attorney General stated that the UAE, “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.”
However, while tolerance is required among American people, threats to any group should not be tolerated.
