JERUSALEM — A Knesset lawmaker is recovering in the hospital after donating his kidney to a stranger.
Yehiel (Hili) Tropper, 41, of the Blue and White coalition in a widely reported announcement to his friends and supporters on Monday said he had the surgery the day before at Hadassah Ein Kerem hospital.
“The surgery went well, and the kidney was transplanted successfully,” Tropper said. “For the next few days, I will stay in the hospital and then I will go home for recovery. I will of course be available for any matter, only a little further away for the upcoming period of time. I hope to get back to things fully soon.”
Tropper, a father of four, told Ynet that he will meet the donor next week.
The Jerusalem Post reported that Tropper is the first Knesset member to donate a kidney in Israel.
The transplant was arranged through Matnat Chaim, a nonprofit organization based in Jerusalem that works to encourage kidney donations.
Tropper entered the Knesset with the Blue and White coalition after the April elections last year and was re-elected in September. He is 12th on the coalition’s list for the March balloting.