Former Judoka Oren Samdaja Joins Gilad Erdan's Party After Weeks of Negotiations

Oren Samdaja, a former judoka, announced on Wednesday his decision to join the political party led by Gilad Erdan and Yuli Edelstein. This move follows Aliza Bloch's earlier announcement of joining the same party. Samdaja described the day as "exciting and historic" for him and his family, emphasizing his lifelong commitment to Israel and the personal loss of his son Omer, who died in combat. He stressed the importance of unity over political division and declared his intention to act for national unity.

Behind the celebratory announcement by Erdan lies a prolonged persuasion effort. Sources revealed that discussions between Samdaja and the party had been ongoing for some time, with Samdaja initially reluctant to join. Key reasons for his hesitation included the party's poor polling performance and its struggle to surpass the electoral threshold. However, Erdan's team persisted, repeatedly engaging Samdaja, promising him a high-ranking spot on the party list, likely third or fourth, and presenting projections that his involvement could boost the party's mandate count and secure its passage over the threshold.

After weeks of stagnant poll results, Erdan now presents Samdaja as a significant asset, despite the judoka's earlier doubts about the party's electoral prospects. This strategic recruitment aims to revitalize the party's standing ahead of upcoming elections.