The Weekend Intelligence: The Samaritan who took sides

Nader Sadaqa was meant to spend the rest of his days in prison. He was released by Israel in October as part of the ceasefire deal with Hamas, one of 250 prisoners serving life sentences. But Sadaqa is no ordinary prisoner. He is a Samaritan—-a tiny ethnoreligious community who claim to descend from the ancient Israelites. Once numbering nearly 1m people, only 850 remain today. They move freely between Israel and the Palestinian territories to work, visit family and observe religious traditions. Being able to navigate both worlds is central to being a Samaritan. They tend not to pick sides. But Sadaqa made a different choice. Twenty years ago, he was imprisoned for murdering four Israeli soldiers and four citizens. In this episode, our Middle East correspondent Nick Pelham meets with Sadaqa in Cairo to learn why he took up the Palestinian cause when neutrality would have been far easier. For more episodes by Nick Pelham, click the links below. Listen to the story of Marwan Barghouti, a Palestinian politician-turned-revolutionary who was convicted of acts of terrorism and sentenced to spend the rest of his life in an Israeli prison. Hear Maroua Abudhagga, a Palestinian from Gaza, and Samy Ibrahim, her Egyptian Jewish husband, discuss a marriage and shared heritage that bridges divides. Listen to what matters most, from global politics and business to science and technology—Subscribe to Economist Podcasts+ For more information about how to access Economist Podcasts+, please visit our FAQs page or watch our video explaining how to link your account. Music by bluedot, epidemic, and Sofi Tsedaka. This podcast transcript is generated by third-party AI. It has not been reviewed prior to publication. We make no representations or warranties in relation to the transcript, its accuracy or its completeness, and we disclaim all liability regarding its receipt, content and use. If you have any concerns about the transcript, please email us at podcasts@economist.com.