Former Israeli Judo Coach Oren Samdaja Joins Gilad Erdan’s Unity Party Ahead of Elections
Translated & summarized from Ynet by baba
Oren Samdaja, former Israeli national judo coach and bereaved father, joined Gilad Erdan’s Unity party for the upcoming Knesset elections, emphasizing national unity above political differences. Erdan welcomed Samdaja, underscoring the party’s goal to form a broad Zionist government based on shared responsibility and universal service.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Oren Samdaja joins Gilad Erdan’s Unity party ahead of Israel’s 26th Knesset elections.
- Samdaja lost his son Omer in Gaza and stresses unity over political disputes.
- He chose Unity for its right-wing, responsible approach and universal service values.
- Gilad Erdan welcomed Samdaja as a symbol of Israel’s best values and leadership.
- Erdan said the party’s name reflects collective responsibility, not total agreement.
- Unity aims to mobilize all citizens and build a broad Zionist government.
Oren Samdaja, former coach of Israel's national judo team, announced on Wednesday his decision to join the Unity party led by Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein for the 26th Knesset elections. Samdaja, who lost his son Omer in combat in the Gaza Strip and previously lit a torch at the Mount Herzl Independence Day ceremony, emphasized the importance of unity over political disputes. He stated that after experiencing both great achievements and profound personal loss, he believes unity is paramount and that everyone must come together as one.
Samdaja explained that although he received multiple political offers, he chose to join Erdan because he trusts his leadership and vision for a responsible right-wing that insists on universal national service as the foundation for internal unity. Gilad Erdan, who revealed the party’s name "Unity" just the day before, welcomed Samdaja, praising him as a representative of Israel’s best values and a respected figure who will strengthen the party’s efforts to form a broad Zionist government.
Erdan highlighted that the party’s name reflects a commitment to collective responsibility and shared purpose, not uniform agreement on all issues. He declared that unity is essential and non-negotiable for their political mission, aiming to mobilize all citizens and secure a genuine right-wing government.
Mentioned
