Roei Kirshberg

Roei Kirshberg, 43, was born in the Jordan Valley and lives there. He is a businessman and a political and social activist.

He is a reserve combat soldier and commander who has served more than 700 days of reserve duty since the outbreak of the war.

"I never saw myself entering politics. As a resident of an agricultural region and the son of my community's security coordinator, I watched personal security in our area erode for decades. I watched theft, property damage and protection rackets fill the lives of Israeli farmers and business owners. I saw the offenders grow bolder while the State of Israel stood helpless, or worse, unwilling to address the problem.

"I found myself responding at night with the local emergency team to theft and damage in the fields and packing houses. Over the years, I felt our lives as Jewish citizens of Israel shrink into fenced compounds, while we were denied the ability to live and enjoy the open spaces of our own country. I saw my friends' children ride their bicycles inside a fenced area while offenders enjoyed the open spaces beyond it.

"The repeated harm to our property and the threat to our lives on the roads and in the surrounding area intensified, as did the frustration with state institutions. On October 7, I reported for reserve duty. Except for a few months, I have served continuously ever since, in every combat sector.

"During the war, I saw that even the terrible massacre did not change the doctrine of the country's decision-makers. The open spaces of the Land of Israel remained abandoned to an enemy that treated them as its own, through weapons smuggling, theft, agricultural terrorism, protection rackets, illegal construction and more.

"At that point, when the Zehut party was re-established under its chairman, my late wife Avital and I joined as volunteers and activists. After years of activity in the field alongside reserve duty, I am proud to be a Zehut candidate for the Knesset.

"I accepted this candidacy in order to work for Israel's citizens on personal security, protection rackets and returning Israel's open spaces to the people of Israel.

"As part of this generation, called upon to save its people from an oppressor, I too said: Hineni, here I am. And so, when I was asked to stand before you with the outstanding team of the Zehut party, once again I say: Hineni."