ABU DHABI, United Arab Emirates – The United States Mission to the United Arab Emirates has urged American citizens to exercise increased caution around Jewish religious sites and locations associated with Israeli communities during Rosh Hashanah.
The security advisory, issued Sept. 13, called for heightened situational awareness and personal security precautions during the Jewish holiday period.
The warning did not identify a specific terrorist plot, planned attack, or recent security incident as the reason for the advisory.
Instead, it was presented as a preventive security measure, making that distinction important as information about the warning circulates.
Americans were advised to remain aware of their surroundings and exercise particular caution in and around locations associated with Jewish religious life and Israeli communities.
The advisory comes during Rosh Hashanah, when synagogues and other Jewish institutions typically experience increased attendance and community activity.
Jewish Security In The UAE
The UAE has developed one of the Arab world’s most visible Jewish communities since normalizing diplomatic relations with Israel under the Abraham Accords in 2020.
Jewish religious services, kosher businesses and community organizations have operated openly in the country, while Israeli tourists and businesspeople have become increasingly visible in both Dubai and Abu Dhabi.
That openness has also brought heightened security concerns.
The issue was brought into sharp focus following the November 2024 murder of Rabbi Zvi Kogan, an Israeli-Moldovan Chabad emissary living in the UAE.
Kogan disappeared in Dubai and was later found dead. Emirati authorities arrested three Uzbek nationals in connection with the killing. The UAE subsequently announced that three defendants were sentenced to death and another received life imprisonment. The case was treated by Israeli authorities as an antisemitic terrorist attack.
The current American advisory, however, does not state that authorities have identified a comparable threat connected with Rosh Hashanah.
The warning did not identify a specific organization, suspect, or planned attack.
Heightened Awareness During Jewish Holidays
Security around Jewish institutions internationally often receives additional attention during the High Holidays because synagogues attract larger congregations and services take place at predictable times.
The UAE presents a distinctive security environment because its normalization agreement with Israel has allowed Jewish and Israeli life to become substantially more public than in many other countries in the region.
The U.S. advisory therefore urges caution without instructing Americans to avoid Jewish institutions altogether.
The distinction between a preventive advisory and a warning based on intelligence about a specific plot is significant.
As of the advisory’s issuance, the U.S. Mission had publicly disclosed no particular attack plan or recent incident prompting the warning.
American citizens in the UAE were instead being encouraged to maintain heightened awareness, exercise appropriate personal security precautions, and remain attentive to their surroundings while visiting Jewish religious sites and areas associated with Israeli communities.
The advisory comes as Jewish communities around the world observe Rosh Hashanah amid continuing concerns about antisemitism and threats against Jewish institutions.
For Jewish residents and visitors in the UAE, the message from the United States is one of increased vigilance rather than evidence of an identified imminent attack.
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