Olympic medalist Oren Smadja announced that he is joining the "HaAchdut" (The Unity) party of former Likud member Gilad Erdan. Smadja's son fell in battle in the Gaza Strip during the Iron Swords War. Smadja said, "This is an exciting and historic day for me and for my family. I am embarking on a new path." He added, "In my life I have experienced great peaks and also the greatest pain a father can bear, when my son Omer fell in battle. From all of this, my understanding has been reinforced that there is one thing that is more important than any political dispute: unity."