Close Read

Ben Greenberg
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Close Read reads political questions through two disciplines: a rabbi's training in interpreting contested texts and arguing in good faith, and a technologist's eye for incentives and second-order effects, from an American and Israeli vantage. Each show takes one question and reads the primary sources closely, quoting them in their own words with every source linked. The first show, Israel Elections 2026, goes through what every party running in Israel's October 27, 2026 Knesset election has published, one party per episode. By Ben Greenberg.

Season 1

  1. Episode 1

    What is each party promising? Starting with B'Yachad

    On October 27, Israelis vote for the 26th Knesset. Thirty-eight lists filed to run. If you read English and not much Hebrew, finding out what any of them plans to do once in office is harder than it should be. This is the first episode of the series. It starts with how the series works: the source rules, the thirteen topics every party gets, and the order, which follows the Central Elections Committee's own list numbering. Then it goes straight into list number one. B'Yachad (ביחד), the joint list of Naftali Bennett's party and Yair Lapid's Yesh Atid, runs under the ballot letters רק. I couldn't find a single platform document. Its website has about twenty-five separate policy plans in Hebrew, most posted between June and September 2026, plus a 34-page education plan, and Yesh Atid keeps its own ten-point list. This episode walks through those plans on the same thirteen topics every party gets: security, October 7, the economy, housing, religion and state, the courts, education, health, welfare, Arab citizens, immigration, and the environment. Where I couldn't find a published position, I say so. This is part of a Close Read series for English speaking voters on the published policies of every party running in Israel's October 27, 2026 Knesset election. I only use what each party has made public. If a party didn't publish it, it isn't in the episode. Transcript, chapters and every source: https://closeread.show/israel-2026/b-yachad/Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ic1yyC7Mc1g

    What is each party promising? Starting with B'Yachad

  2. Episode 2

    Yashar: what they've published

    Gadi Eisenkot's party says its first government decision would be a state commission of inquiry into October 7, and it has already posted a draft of that decision for public comment. Yashar, the party led by Gadi Eisenkot, runs on the ballot letters דרך as a joint list with Hili Tropper's Yesodot Yisrael. It has published a short "10 steps" platform, a list of party goals, twelve detailed plans on its Hebrew website, and a draft government decision for a state commission of inquiry into October 7. This episode walks through what those documents say on security, October 7 accountability, the economy, housing, military service and religion and state, the courts and governance, education, health, seniors, Arab citizens, immigration, and transportation, and notes where I couldn't find a published position. This is part of a Close Read series for English speaking voters on the published policies of every party running in Israel's October 27, 2026 Knesset election. I only use what each party has made public. If a party didn't publish it, it isn't in the episode. Transcript, chapters and every source: https://closeread.show/israel-2026/yashar/Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wjw0GnIg3rA

    Yashar: what they've published

  3. Episode 3

    Sharshar: what they've published

    I couldn't find a written platform for Sharshar. But its leader, Eitan Shvili, has named a handful of priorities on camera, and those are what this episode covers. I couldn't find a written 2026 platform for Sharshar for Love and the Unity of the People (ballot letters צדק). Its leader, Eitan Shvili, named several priorities on camera at the election committee on September 6 and 7 and in a Channel 14 interview on September 9: people living with post-trauma and combat trauma and their families, the basket of life-saving medicines, bullying of children and teenagers, Holocaust survivors, equal opportunity for children, service for those who don't study, and uniting the people. He didn't say how he would carry out any of them. All of these were said in an interview, not written in a platform. On eight of the thirteen topics in this series I couldn't find a stated position. I didn't review social media accounts, because I couldn't confirm which ones speak for the list. This is part of a Close Read series for English speaking voters on the published policies of every party running in Israel's October 27, 2026 Knesset election. I only use what each party has made public. If a party didn't publish it, it isn't in the episode. Research cutoff: October 1, 2026. Transcript, chapters and every source: https://closeread.show/israel-2026/sharshar/Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3m5gAeGHqjw

    Sharshar: what they've published
  • 3 Episodes

About

Close Read reads political questions through two disciplines: a rabbi's training in interpreting contested texts and arguing in good faith, and a technologist's eye for incentives and second-order effects, from an American and Israeli vantage. Each show takes one question and reads the primary sources closely, quoting them in their own words with every source linked. The first show, Israel Elections 2026, goes through what every party running in Israel's October 27, 2026 Knesset election has published, one party per episode. By Ben Greenberg.

Information

  • Creator
    Ben Greenberg
  • Episodes
    3
  • Seasons
    1
  • Rating
    Clean
  • Copyright
    © 2026 Ben Greenberg
  • Show Website
    Close Read