Close Read

Ra'am put out its first campaign brochure on October 10. It isn't labeled a platform, but it lists what the party says it will work on after the election, from a new plan against crime to more Arab members on the committees that approve building plans.

Ra'am, the United Arab List led by Mansour Abbas, has not published a document it calls an election platform. This episode walks through what the party has put out: its first campaign brochure, published in Arabic on October 10, 2026, with a box after each section headed "this is what we will work on after the election"; the "Bridges of Reconciliation and Peace Initiative," a two-state plan Abbas signed as Ra'am chair in March 2025; and the party's campaign posts on Abbas's official accounts.

I cover the positions those sources state on planning and housing, recognition of the unrecognized villages in the Negev, a new plan against violence and crime, development budgets for Arab towns, transportation, the Gaza war and a Palestinian state, and the party's stated aim of joining the next government, plus the topics where I couldn't find a published position. The Central Elections Committee decided to bar the list on September 24; on October 2 the Supreme Court accepted Ra'am's appeal, and the list is on the ballot.

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/raam/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XTL8XsG0ocI
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:21 About this series
• 0:46 Who they are
• 1:24 What they've published
• 2:19 Security and foreign policy
• 3:40 October 7, Economy: no stated position
• 3:51 Housing
• 5:21 Religion and state, Courts and governance: no stated position
• 5:49 Social welfare, pensions, and the elderly
• 6:04 Arab citizens and minorities
• 7:42 Immigration, Environment
• 8:10 What they put front and center
• 8:51 What's missing

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 "Bridges of Reconciliation and Peace Initiative" (יוזמת גשרים של פיוס ושלום / مبادرة جسور التصالح والسلام). Signed "יוזם התוכנית ח"כ מנסור עבאס, יו"ר הרשימה הערבית המאוחדת, רע"ם, 2/3/2025". Arabic pp. 2 to 9, Hebrew pp. 10 to 16, English pp. 17 to 25 (printed page numbers). Not an election platform; a pre-campaign political plan.
• S2 jusor-initiative.org, the Bridges initiative site (home, "Initiative Text", "News & Activities"). Links to Abbas's Facebook, Instagram, TikTok. Footer calls it "An independent political initiative from the Joint Arab List" (see README open questions).
• S3 Abbas and MK Walid al-Hawashla adopt the Regional Council of Unrecognized Villages' plan to stop demolitions and recognize villages
• S4 "قصر السر.. نحو تأثير أكبر" campaign meeting, Negev
• S5 "العشائر نحو تأثير أكبر" Bedouin clans of the north meeting
• S6 "سخنين نحو تأثير أكبر" meeting; Segalovich pledge on crime; Abbas on 61 seats
• S7 "الطيرة نحو تأثير أكبر" meetings in Tira
• S8 Kafr Manda meeting responding to the disqualification vote
• S9 Other campaign posts: Ein Mahil (2026-09-25), Kafr Manda (2026-09-21), Eilut (2026-09-20), reels of 2026-09-26 and 2026-07-08
• S10 Abbas on "2,100 murdered" and the "government of the October 7 disaster"
• S11 Abbas on the disqualification effort and the Shin Bet's duty in an election period
• S12 Abbas on the Gaza "transfer" initiative
• S13 Abbas supports police demands for budgets, tools, powers
• S14 Abbas on Negev protests against home demolitions
• S15 Abbas: stop the war, free all hostages, stop starvation, political settlement
• S16 Abbas's speech at the Ra'am general conference in Tayibe, 2026-08-22, on Palestinian statehood. No party-published video or transcript was found; the quote is taken from two independent reports that quote him directly (Walla in Hebrew, Baladna in Arabic). Label "said in a speech."
• S17 Abbas interview on 103FM, 2026-08-23, explaining the conference remarks and the Bridges initiative
• S18 Joint interview with Mansour Abbas and Yoav Segalovich; published transcript on mako.co.il
• S19 "רע"ם, הרשימה הערבית המאוחדת. רשימת המועמדים הוגשה מטעם מפלגת רשימת האיחוד הערבי". Published 07.09.2026, updated 08.09.2026. 73 candidates; 1 Abbas Mansour, 2 Segalovich Yoav, 3 Taha Walid.
• S20 "עם: רע״ם, הרשימה הערבית המאוחדת (הרשימה אושרה על תנאי, עד להכרעת בית המשפט העליון...)"
• S21 "منصور عباس - Mansour Abbas", verified, bio "رئيس القائمة العربية الموحدة \| יו״ר הרשימה הערבית המאוחדת"; lists Instagram mansourabbas.me, X mnsorabbas, TikTok mansour_abbas1
• S22 The Media Line, "Central Elections Committee Votes To Bar Joint List, Ra'am From Knesset Elections": the committee voted 18 to 5 on Wednesday, September 23, to bar Ra'am. Used only for the date of the vote. Superseded for the date by S25: the CEC's own page dates the committee decision September 24, 2026 (the Media Line says the vote was Wednesday, September 23; the session likely ran past midnight, but no saved source says so)
• S23 "نحو تأثير أكبر": "النشرة الانتخابية الأولى للقائمة العربية الموحدة - انتخابات الكنيست 2026" (the first election bulletin of the United Arab List). Pages 3 to 7 pair each 2021 to 2022 government decision Ra'am credits itself with a box headed "وهذا ما سنعمل عليه بعد الانتخابات" (what we will work on after the election). Also candidate bios (pp. 8 and 9), event photos (pp. 10 and 11), seat arithmetic (p. 12), and a statement on the ruling (p. 7). Not titled a platform (برنامج انتخابي); the announcing post calls it the party's "برنامج عملها في الإطار العام لما بعد الانتخابات" (its work program in general outline for after the election)
• S24 Post announcing and linking the brochure (S23), on Abbas's verified account
• S25 Ra'am list page, updated 04.10.2026: "ב-24 בספטמבר 2026 החליטה ועדת הבחירות המרכזית כי הרשימה מנועה מלהשתתף בבחירות לכנסת ה-26 [...] ב-2 באוקטובר 2026 קיבל בית המשפט העליון את הערעור, ביטל את החלטת הוועדה, וקבע כי הרשימה רשאית להשתתף בבחירות לכנסת ה-26." Also the full 73-name list
• S26 Ynet, Walla and the Jerusalem Post, 2026-10-02: a nine-justice panel unanimously accepted Ra'am's appeal; summary reasons published, full reasons to follow. Used only for "unanimous" and "nine justices," which S25 does not state
• S27 October 2026 campaign posts: meetings in Iksal, Kafr Manda and Jatt; the Ra'am app; a response to a Jabareen speech; reels with caption text only

The Democrats say they'll pay combat reservists about 1,000 shekels for every day of reserve duty, on top of compensation for their lost income, and they put a price on it: about 10 billion shekels a year. That's one line from a platform site with 25 topic pages, each with its own PDF.

The Democrats, led by Yair Golan and formed from the merger of Labor and Meretz, have published a 16 page combined platform and 25 separate topic plans on their website, most of them in Hebrew, with some in Russian and Arabic. This episode walks through what those documents say, topic by topic.

We cover security and the West Bank, the October 7 commission of inquiry, the economy and housing, military service and religion and state, the courts and term limits, education, health, seniors, Arab citizens, immigration, and the environment and transport. Where a topic has no 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/the-democrats/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CcYgYzzER_A
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:22 About this series
• 0:48 Who they are
• 1:04 What they've published
• 1:45 Security and foreign policy
• 4:03 October 7 accountability
• 4:17 Economy and cost of living
• 5:09 Housing
• 5:28 Religion and state
• 6:41 Judiciary and governance
• 7:45 Education
• 8:20 Health
• 8:50 Social welfare, pensions, and the elderly
• 9:23 Arab citizens and minorities
• 10:34 Immigration, absorption, and diaspora
• 11:04 Environment, energy, and transportation
• 11:29 What they put front and center
• 11:48 What's missing

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 Combined work plan, 16 pp.: security, democracy and law, socioeconomic, religion and state, education, "טיפול שורש" crime plan, environment, LGBTQ. Linked from homepage as "לתוכנית מלאה PDF"
• S2 "מה המצע: תוכניות העבודה של מפלגת הדמוקרטים", 25 topic pages (summary, key bullets, PDF link per topic). Pages render in JavaScript; content retrieved from the site's own public read-only data feed (no login)
• S3 תוכנית מדינית-ביטחונית (security and diplomacy), 3 pp.
• S4 תוכנית דמוקרטיה ומשפט (democracy and law), 2 pp.
• S5 התוכנית החברתית-כלכלית (socioeconomic), 2 pp. Newer than S1: adds minimum wage, negative income tax, OECD civil spending
• S6 דת ומדינה (religion and state), 2 pp.
• S7 תוכנית הדמוקרטים לחלוקת נטל השירות (sharing the burden of service), 2 pp.
• S8 מילואימניקים (reservists), 2 pp.
• S9 תוכנית חינוך (education), 2 pp.
• S10 תוכנית בריאות (health), 3 pp.
• S11 שיקום נפשי (national mental health rehabilitation), 3 pp.
• S12 תוכנית אזרחים ותיקים (senior citizens), 3 pp.
• S13 אנשים עם מוגבלות (people with disabilities), 3 pp.
• S14 תוכנית הדמוקרטים לחברה הערבית (Arab society), 2 pp.
• S15 תוכנית המאבק בפשיעה / חיסול הפשע המאורגן (organized crime), 2 pp.
• S16 خطة مكافحة الجريمة والعنف في المجتمع العربي (Arabic version of the crime plan), 2 pp.
• S17 תוכנית ביטחון פנים (public safety and police), 2 pp.
• S18 תוכנית עלייה וקליטה (immigration and absorption), 4 pp.
• S19 Алия и Интеграция (Russian version of S18), 6 pp.
• S20 תוכנית תחבורה ובטיחות בדרכים (transportation and road safety), 2 pp.
• S21 תוכנית סביבה ואקלים (environment and climate), 2 pp.
• S22 פיתוח הצפון והדרום (north and south development), 2 pp.
• S23 המרחב הכפרי ושמירה על החקלאות (rural areas and agriculture), 2 pp.
• S24 שוויון מגדרי (gender equality), 2 pp.
• S25 תוכנית הקהילה הגאה (LGBTQ community), 2 pp.
• S26 תרבות (culture), 2 pp.
• S27 תקשורת ומאבק במכונת הרעל (media), 3 pp.
• S28 "תוכנית שש הנקודות לסדר היום הרעיוני", September 2025, 16 pp. Party principles, predates the campaign platform
• S29 "The Democrats: Our vision for Israel as a liberal Jewish democracy", English version of S28, 18 pp.
• S30 Party homepage, "הדמוקרטים בראשות יאיר גולן" (list, plan summaries, social feed)
• S31 English homepage ("Work plans" summaries)
• S32 Arabic homepage; states the party is the union of Labor (العمل) and Meretz (ميرتس)
• S33 @DemocratsIL on X, Arab citizens and leadership (as displayed on S30)
• S34 תקנון מפלגת הדמוקרטים (party bylaws), 41 pp. Context only, not policy
• S35 Central Elections Committee index of all 38 lists for the 26th Knesset with ballot letters; this party's row gives the letters אמת. The page header still carries the standard note that lists are as submitted, but the index includes the committee's September 23 exclusion decisions, so it postdates the review. Used for ballot letters only. Copied on 2026-10-01 from the Joint List folder's saved copy

This list wants to cut VAT from 18 percent to 12 percent, and it wants anyone who skips military or civilian service to lose the right to vote. Those two ideas come from two different parties that are now running on one ballot slip.

The Reservists and the Economic Party, led by Yoaz Hendel and Yaron Zelekha, runs on the ballot letters Dalet Yud (די). It is a joint run of two parties, and I couldn't find a joint platform. Each party has its own platform on its own website, and this episode walks both, saying which party published each position.

The Reservists' platform focuses on a draft for every citizen with sanctions for those who don't serve, a commission of inquiry, security policy, and a plan on crime and governance. The Economic Party's platform focuses on taxes, prices, monopolies, and public services. I cover all 13 topics in this series, including the ones where I couldn't find a published position from either party.

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/reservists-economic-party/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4GqwNpq34KM
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:18 About this series
• 0:45 Who they are
• 0:59 What they've published
• 1:53 Security and foreign policy
• 3:29 October 7 accountability
• 4:00 Economy and cost of living
• 5:37 Housing
• 6:20 Religion and state
• 7:47 Judiciary and governance
• 8:38 Education
• 8:54 Health
• 9:27 Social welfare, pensions, and the elderly
• 9:54 Arab citizens and minorities
• 10:38 Immigration, absorption, and diaspora
• 10:58 Environment, energy, and transportation
• 11:26 What they put front and center
• 12:02 What's missing

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 Central Elections Committee page "המילואימניקים והכלכלית בראשות יועז הנדל וירון זליכה": candidate list submitted on behalf of מפלגת המילואימניקים and מפלגת הכלכלית החדשה, with each candidate's party of origin. bechirot.gov.il was in maintenance mode on 2026-09-30, so this is the printout of the CEC page that the Israel Democracy Institute hosts
• S2 Reservists: "עקרונות" page with "עיקרי המצע" (platform highlights): three conditions for forming a government, "האזרח המשרת" (draft), security and Gaza, Iran and Hezbollah, governance, checks and balances, settlement and agriculture, economy
• S3 Reservists: "מי אנחנו" (about) with the eight principles and a Q&A section ("שאלות ותשובות")
• S4 Reservists: "הרחבת שורות צבא העם: מתווה המילואימניקים" (the draft outline, full text, 11 pages: text on pages 1 to 10, page 11 blank; ends mid-sentence on page 10. Page count corrected in the 2026-10-01 audit)
• S5 Reservists: "מתווה המילואימניקים" (draft outline summary page and petition)
• S6 Reservists: "ביטחון ומשילות: תוכנית 10 הנקודות לחזית השמינית" (10-point plan on crime in Arab communities and governance)
• S7 Reservists: "הקמת משטרות מקומיות" (local police plan, full text)
• S8 Reservists: "חוזרים מהקרב" (PTSD and wounded soldiers plan)
• S9 Reservists: home page (eight principles, draft slogan)
• S10 Joint list landing page "המילואימניקים והכלכלית" (slogan and sign-up form, no platform text)
• S11 Economic Party: "מצע המפלגה" (platform): introduction, housing, taxes, state budget, self-employed, banks, cost of living, absorption and aliyah, plus short previews of the other chapters
• S12 Economic Party platform chapter: "ביטחון" (security)
• S13 Economic Party platform chapter: "מדיניות הרווחה" (welfare)
• S14 Economic Party platform chapter: "מדיניות החינוך" (education)
• S15 Economic Party platform chapter: "מדיניות הבריאות" (health)
• S16 Economic Party platform chapter: "שילוב החרדים בכלכלה הישראלית" (Haredi integration in the economy)
• S17 Economic Party platform chapter: "סביבה, קיימות ובעלי חיים" (environment, sustainability, animals)
• S18 Economic Party platform chapter: "מדיניות התחבורה" (transportation)
• S19 Economic Party platform chapter: "חקלאות וייצור מזון מקומי" (agriculture and local food production)
• S20 Economic Party platform chapter: "מדיניות מחירי הרכב" (car prices)
• S21 Economic Party platform chapter: "מדיניות פנסיה" (pensions)
• S22 Economic Party platform chapter: "נשים ואלימות במשפחה" (women and domestic violence, gender equality)
• S23 Economic Party platform chapter: "מדיניות התמיכה בענפי ההיי-טק" (high-tech)
• S24 Economic Party platform chapter: "החינוך הבלתי פורמאלי" (informal education and youth movements)
• S25 Economic Party: "הרפורמה במערכת המשפטית": Zelekha's statement to the Knesset Constitution Committee on January 31, 2023, posted on the party site as the party's position
• S26 Telegram @econo_ch post 3870: CEC approved ballot letters "די"
• S27 Telegram @econo_ch post 3835: insurance and garages plan presented by the Economic Party "יחד עם מפלגת המילואימניקים"
• S28 Telegram @econo_ch post 3874: cutting fuel excise and indirect taxes, signed "מצביעים למילואמניקים והכלכלית"
• S29 Telegram @econo_ch post 3815: welfare measures (repeats S13)
• S30 Telegram @econo_ch post 3816: health measures (repeats S15)
• S31 Telegram @econo_ch post 3780: IDF wounded and PTSD "the first thing we will handle" at the Finance Ministry
• S32 Telegram @econo_ch post 3879: "באנו להוריד את יוקר המחיה ולדאוג לגיוס לכולם"
• S33 Economic Party platform in Russian, "Программа Экономической партии во главе с профессором Яроном Зелихой" (translation of the current Hebrew platform, includes the October 7 security chapter). Used only to confirm the Hebrew text is current
• S34 Central Elections Committee index of all 38 lists for the 26th Knesset with ballot letters; this party's row gives the letters די. The page header still carries the standard note that lists are as submitted, but the index includes the committee's September 23 exclusion decisions, so it postdates the review. Used for ballot letters only. Copied on 2026-10-01 from the Joint List folder's saved copy

New Order wants a prime minister elected directly by the public, a Knesset elected by region, and ministers who aren't Knesset members. It wants all of that, plus a written constitution, put to a referendum. That's nearly its whole platform.

New Order (Seder Hadash), led by attorney Avital Chai Ofek, is on the ballot as קך. For 2026 the party published a campaign website and a 37-page position paper by Ofek. This episode walks through them topic by topic.

The paper is about how Israel is governed. It proposes a prime minister elected directly with more than half the vote, a Knesset elected by name in 12 regions, 11 professional ministers from outside the Knesset, public votes and budgets, a narrower power for the High Court to strike down laws, a new system for appointing and promoting judges, and a written constitution, with all of it put to a referendum. On most other topics it says little or nothing, and the episode says so. The party's older platform, from the 2020 and 2021 elections, is mentioned only as background.

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 2, 2026.

Transcript, chapters and every source: https://closeread.show/israel-2026/new-order/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=F55yWG999lQ
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:20 About this series
• 0:46 Who they are
• 1:05 What they've published
• 1:34 Security, October 7: no stated position
• 1:48 Economy and cost of living
• 2:21 Housing, Religion and state: no stated position
• 2:34 Judiciary and governance
• 4:40 Education, Health, Welfare
• 5:24 Arab citizens and minorities
• 5:54 Immigration, Environment: no stated position
• 6:16 What they put front and center
• 6:40 What's missing

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 "סדר-חדש לכינון חוקה, להפרדת רשויות ולבחירות אישיות", submitted by מפלגת סדר חדש לשינוי שיטת הבחירות; approved list of 25 headed by אופק אביטל חי (29 submitted; three resignations on 17.9.2026, one candidate left off on 27.9.2026); slip קך / قخ. The submitted list of 29 is also saved from IDI's printout
• S2 CEC index of all 38 lists with letters: "קך: סדר-חדש לכינון חוקה, להפרדת רשויות ולבחירות אישיות"
• S3 Ynet, CEC approval of the 38 lists and letters. Gives "ולבחירות ישירות", which the slip (S1) contradicts; used only to confirm approval
• S4 "סדר חדש: הצעה לשינוי שיטת הבחירות והממשל בישראל", by עו״ד אביטל אופק, 37 pages, linked from the party site as its position paper
• S5 "סדר חדש, לשינוי שיטת הבחירות": principles, model, constitution and referendum, FAQ; footer © 2026 with party number 59-900138-5
• S6 "מפלגת סדר חדש" (facebook.com/SHINUYHASHITA), Political Organization, Ramat Gan; links S5; Sept 20, 2026 posts in Ofek's first person. Used to authenticate S4 and S5; the visible post text states no policy
• S7 "מצע מפלגת סדר חדש, Ver 04", signed by the chair; filed for the 2020 and 2021 elections (identical text in both IDI copies); file dated 2019-08-29. Digits must be read from the rendered pages. Context only
• S8 Earlier version (5 pages, 2019-08-11). Context only
• S9 25th Knesset list "סדר חדש - למען האזרחים הוותיקים בישראל", same submitting party and leader; no platform filed with IDI
• S10 IDI tables for 2020, 2021, 2022 and 2026; platform linked for 2020 and 2021 only; 2026 rechecked, still no platform link
• S11 Knesset Channel list of all submitted 26th Knesset lists
• S12 Zman Israel, Aug 28, 2022: party release on old-age allowances; quote by Ofek. Previous election; not used
• S13 Queries, accounts, sites and videos checked, 2026-09-30 and 2026-10-02

Otzma Yehudit's flagship plan for this election is a new government ministry to run what the party calls "voluntary emigration" from Gaza, with a target of about 1.86 million people leaving within seven years.

Otzma Yehudit, led by Itamar Ben Gvir (ballot letter ב), hasn't published a full platform for the 2026 election. It has published "Disengagement 710," a detailed plan for a government ministry to run what the party calls voluntary emigration from Gaza, plus a six-point security program and a six-point justice program, and campaign statements on its website and Ben Gvir's Telegram channel.

This episode walks the same 13 topics I use for every party and reports what Otzma Yehudit published on each, quoting the Hebrew where the wording matters, and says plainly 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/otzma-yehudit/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ILUqoQ6NIB8
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:20 About this series
• 0:45 Who they are
• 1:38 Security and foreign policy
• 5:32 October 7 accountability
• 5:42 Economy and cost of living
• 5:54 Housing
• 6:16 Religion and state
• 6:30 Judiciary and governance
• 8:59 Health, Immigration: no stated position

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 "עוצמה יהודית בראשות איתמר בן גביר": ballot letter ב, 35 candidates, submitting parties
• S2 Home page: slogan "יהדות. אמת. דרך.", "About" paragraph
• S3 "מי אנחנו" (Who we are): party principles and staff
• S4 "תכנית ההתנתקות 710: תכנית עבודה לאומית להגירה מרצון מרצועת עזה" (Disengagement 710: national work plan for voluntary emigration from the Gaza Strip), 12 principles, 100-day plan
• S5 "תכנית ההתנתקות 710: התכנית המלאה" (full plan booklet, 11 two-page spreads, created 2026-09-02)
• S6 "יו״ר עוצמה יהודית השר בן גביר מציג את תוכנית הדגל של עוצמה יהודית לקראת הבחירות ״התנתקות 710״" (launch of the flagship plan, 12 principles, budget)
• S7 "בן גביר לביטחון. גוטליב למשפטים": six-point security program and six-point justice program
• S8 "Программа следующего правительства" (Program for the next government): Russian version of S7 plus 710 targets
• S9 "למה דווקא שר הביטחון?" (Why defense minister?): six goals, each explained
• S10 Ben Gvir's remarks after submitting the list for the 26th Knesset
• S11 "השר בן גביר מסמן יעד: ״A ו-B יהיו בדיוק כמו C״" (Areas A and B will be exactly like C)
• S12 Ben Gvir to Hamas prisoner Hassan Salameh: "as defense minister I will execute you"
• S13 Response to report on a Hamas operative planning an assassination; lists what he will keep promoting
• S14 Ben Gvir letter to Netanyahu: close the British consulate in East Jerusalem
• S15 Letter to the prime minister: dismissal of the attorney general as a threshold condition for joining the next government
• S16 Ben Gvir at the Otzma Yehudit faction meeting: "Israel must not accept the US Iran ceasefire"
• S17 Party sets up a Druze sector headquarters focused on housing and planning
• S18 Campaign launch rally in Petah Tikva, slogan "מי שמאמין לא מפחד"
• S19 "בקדנציה הבאה אנחנו נקים משרד הגירה ממשלתי" (next term we will set up a government emigration ministry)
• S20 Summary of Ben Gvir's interview with Arye Golan on Reshet Bet: as defense minister he would see to burning the bodies of Sinwar and October 7 attackers
• S21 Mosque loudspeaker noise enforcement: "וכך זה יימשך" (and this will continue)
• S22 Demand to apply the death penalty law to the attacker in the Binyamin attack; settlers' right to life over PA residents' freedom of movement
• S23 Negev demolitions: "they want a government without Ben Gvir so police stop demolishing illegal houses in the Negev"

Shema's platform says state support for homosexuality should be made illegal, and that people who cheat on their spouses should be punished. That platform is still on their website, but it was written for earlier elections, and they haven't published anything new for this one.

Shema, led by Naftali Goldman, is on the ballot as נף. It has not published a new platform for 2026. Its website still carries the platform written for the 2020 to 2022 campaigns, which was also filed for the 2022 election. This episode walks through that platform topic by topic and says clearly that it comes from past elections.

The platform covers military service for all Jewish men, the status of homosexuality and marriage in law, the Supreme Court, housing and free higher education for people who complete service, and how the party would pay for its programs. Where the platform says nothing, the episode says 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/shema/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h__fdcOJhLU
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:21 About this series
• 0:47 Who they are
• 1:28 Security and foreign policy
• 1:51 October 7, Economy
• 2:24 Housing
• 2:45 Religion and state
• 3:54 Judiciary and governance
• 4:09 Education
• 4:22 Health, Welfare
• 4:42 Arab citizens and minorities
• 4:52 Immigration, absorption, and diaspora
• 5:12 Environment, Front and center
• 5:46 What's missing

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 Central Elections Committee page for the 26th Knesset: "שמע", candidate list submitted by "מפלגת שמע בראשות נפתלי גולדמן" (one candidate: גולדמן נפתלי בורוך). Printout of the CEC gov.il page, hosted by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI)
• S2 ynet, CEC approval of 38 lists and their ballot letters: "נף" for "שמע, בראשות נפתלי גולדמן" (dashes in the original headline replaced with commas). Used only for the ballot letters
• S3 IDI 2026 parties table. Lists "מפלגת שמע" with a candidate list and a "מצע" (platform) link to eomzone.com/מצע
• S4 Party homepage, "מה מפלגת 'שמע' מציעה" (what Shema offers). Footer © 2026
• S5 "מצע" page: full platform text (moral society, kindness, unity, conflict, foreign policy, financing). Links the PDF "מפלגת-שמע-מצע-2020.21". Wayback snapshot 2026-09-19: http://web.archive.org/web/20260919151841/https://eomzone.com/%D7%9E%D7%A6%D7%A2/
• S6 "דבר היו"ר נפתלי גולדמן" (chairman's statement, About page)
• S7 "חוק הנזקקים" (Law of the Needy) / חסד page
• S8 Housing assistance for under-35s who complete full military or national service
• S9 "חוק אחדות ישראל" (Israel Unity Law)
• S10 "חוק גיוס מפלגת שמע" (Shema conscription law)
• S11 Removing the Supreme Court's power to overturn Knesset decisions
• S12 "הסרת התמיכה המדינית של יחסים אסורים" (removing state support for "forbidden relations")
• S13 "חוק קדושת הנישואין" (Sanctity of Marriage Law)
• S14 "חוק צנזורה" (online pornography censorship for minors)
• S15 "תוכנית מימון וצמיחה כלכלית" (financing and economic growth plan)
• S16 English version: "What the 'Shema' party offers", headed "The current situation in Israel 2022", ends "Vote Shema in the 2022 elections"
• S17 "המהפכה" page, ends "תצביעו שמע 2022" (Vote Shema 2022)
• S18 "מפלגת שמע מצע 2020.21", linked from the site. Scanned image PDF (no text layer), created 2020-09-17
• S19 Shema platform filed for the 25th Knesset (2022), hosted by IDI. 24 pages, image-based. Spot-checked: table of contents (p.3) and financing section match the website text
• S20 Blog and RSS feed. Newest post dated October 15, 2020
• S21 IDI results tables for 2020, 2021, 2022: Shema ran in all three with a platform link
• S22 Knesset Channel list of all 26th Knesset candidate lists ("שמע בראשות נפתלי גולדמן", "גולדמן נפתלי בורוך")
• S23 Leader's channel (linked from the party site). Latest party video published 2021-03-08 ("מפלגת שמע - בחירות 2022"); nothing from 2026
• S24 Central Elections Committee index of all 38 lists for the 26th Knesset with ballot letters; this party's row gives the letters נף. The page header still carries the standard note that lists are as submitted, but the index includes the committee's September 23 exclusion decisions, so it postdates the review. Used for ballot letters only. Copied on 2026-10-01 from the Joint List folder's saved copy

I couldn't find anything Mishpat Tzedek has published for this election. The last platform I could find is from 2021, and it calls for an outside body with power to send criminal cases back for retrial.

Mishpat Tzedek, led by Larissa Amir, is on the ballot as קץ. I couldn't find anything the party has published for the 2026 election, and its website is offline. This episode uses the platform it filed for the March 2021 election and archived copies of its website, and says clearly that the material is from 2021.

That platform focuses on the justice system: oversight of the courts, retrials, plea bargains, how judges are chosen, and administrative detention. It also covers settlement and sovereignty, a commission of inquiry into the Oslo Accords and the disengagement, and media funding. Where it says nothing, the episode says 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/just-law/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PbFrmW0GyYo
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:19 About this series
• 0:46 Who they are
• 1:20 Security and foreign policy
• 1:40 October 7, Economy
• 1:52 Housing, Religion and state
• 2:09 Judiciary and governance
• 3:01 Education, Health, Welfare
• 3:14 Arab citizens, Immigration, Environment: no stated position
• 3:26 What they put front and center
• 4:11 What's missing

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 Central Elections Committee page for the 26th Knesset: "משפט צדק", candidate list submitted by "מפלגת משפט צדק", 9 candidates headed by עמיר רננה לריסה. Printout of the CEC gov.il page, hosted by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI)
• S2 ynet, CEC approval of 38 lists and their ballot letters, listing "קץ" for "משפט צדק". Used only for the ballot letters
• S3 IDI 2026 parties table. Lists "משפט צדק" with a candidate list and no platform link
• S4 "מצע מפלגת 'משפט צדק'" (Mishpat Tzedek platform), filed for the 24th Knesset election (March 2021), hosted by IDI. 3 pages, text layer
• S5 "יעדים ומצע" (goals and platform) page. Same platform text as S4 plus a list of five goals. Wayback capture 2022-01-24
• S6 Homepage: "יעדים ועקרונות" (goals and principles) and campaign song lyrics. Wayback captures 2021-02-28 and 2022-07-02 (identical text)
• S7 "חדש במפלגה" (party news): headlines include that the party would not run in 2022, a post titled "למה הם כל-כך מפחדים מהמאבק הלגיטימי למען שחרורו של יגאל עמיר?", and a post on the 2021 ballot slip. Wayback capture 2023-09-27
• S8 "מי אנחנו" (who we are), including the 2021 candidate list with the chair as No. 1. Wayback capture 2022-01-24
• S9 IDI-hosted platform file for the 23rd Knesset (2020): a one-page pointer to the party's web page "עקרונות מפלגת משפט צדק לקראת הבחירות לכנסת ה-23" dated 11.2.2020
• S10 IDI results tables for 2020 and 2021: Mishpat Tzedek listed with a platform link in both
• S11 Knesset Channel list of all 26th Knesset candidate lists (משפט צדק: עמיר רננה לריסה, עמיר גאולה, ...)

Yisrael Beiteinu says the first decision of the next government should be a state commission of inquiry into October 7. And it wants a draft law under which anyone who evades service loses state benefits, and deserters lose the right to vote.

Yisrael Beiteinu, headed by Avigdor Liberman and running on the ballot letter ל (Lamed), has published a full platform on its website in Hebrew, plus a separate Russian-language platform, a seniors platform, a youth education platform, and a Russian campaign newspaper. This episode walks through what those documents say, topic by topic: security, Gaza and the West Bank, October 7 accountability, the economy, housing, religion and state, the courts and a constitution, education, health, pensions, Arab citizens, immigration, and transportation.

Where the Hebrew and Russian versions differ, I say which is which. Where the party hasn't published a position, I say that too.

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/yisrael-beiteinu/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxb6BgUsCGU
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:20 About this series
• 0:47 Who they are
• 1:54 Security and foreign policy
• 4:29 October 7 accountability
• 4:54 Economy and cost of living
• 6:00 Housing
• 6:36 Religion and state
• 7:42 Judiciary and governance
• 8:25 Education
• 9:04 Health
• 9:24 Social welfare, pensions, and the elderly
• 9:55 Arab citizens and minorities
• 10:41 Immigration, absorption, and diaspora
• 11:08 Environment, energy, and transportation
• 11:22 What they put front and center
• 11:58 What's missing

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 "המצע שלנו" (Our platform): "קווי היסוד של ישראל ביתנו לממשלה הבאה" (Yisrael Beiteinu's basic guidelines for the next government) plus tabs on security, internal security, foreign policy, governance, economy, religion and state, education, welfare, health. Cited from the desktop version of the page (see note below).
• S2 "Программа партии" (Party program), Russian-language platform page with tabs: security, immigrant integration, political system, economy and welfare, religion and state, education, medicine, foreign policy, constitution
• S3 "מצע: מטה האזרחים הוותיקים של מפלגת ישראל ביתנו" (Platform of the party's senior citizens headquarters), with a four-year rollout
• S4 "מצע ישראל ביתנו בנושא החינוך: יחד עם מועצת התלמידים" (Education platform, together with the student council); same text also appears in S1's education tab
• S5 "Программа НДИ для новых репатриантов!" (Yisrael Beiteinu program for new immigrants), 14 points; same text in S2's integration tab, in S8 p.5, and in Telegram post 3045 (S17)
• S6 "Программа НДИ для людей пенсионного возраста" (Yisrael Beiteinu program for people of pension age), 7 points; same text in S2's economy tab and S8 p.4
• S7 "Возможно ли сегодня принять в Израиле конституцию?" (Is it possible to adopt a constitution in Israel today?), first-person text by Liberman; also posted on his Telegram channel as post 3031 (S17)
• S8 "Время НДИ" (Yisrael Beiteinu Time), "Издание партии 'Наш дом Израиль' во главе с Авигдором Либерманом" (publication of the Yisrael Beiteinu party headed by Avigdor Liberman). Contains the pensioner and immigrant programs, candidate profiles, op-eds, and a "how to vote" box showing the ballot letter ל (p.14). Embedded as a flipbook on the "Газета НДИ" page.
• S9 "מסיבת העיתונאים של ישראל ביתנו: ליברמן מציג את 6 החזיתות שהוא יכריע!" (Liberman presents the six fronts he will decide), launch of the slogan "חייבים להכריע"
• S10 "התוכנית של אביגדור ליברמן ליום שאחרי ההסכם עם איראן" (Liberman's six-point plan for the day after the US-Iran agreement)
• S11 "ליברמן בגבול לבנון: חייבים לחסל את חיזבאללה" (Liberman at the Lebanon border: Hezbollah must be eliminated); companion post to northern mayors the same day
• S12 "ליברמן בזירת הפגיעה בחיפה: חייבים לעשות הכל כדי להחזיר את תוכנית מיגון הצפון" (restore the northern home-protection program)
• S13 "ח״כ חמד עמאר מועמד ישראל ביתנו לתפקיד השר לביטחון הפנים בממשלה הבאה" (Hamed Amar named as the party's candidate for internal security minister)
• S14 "The Day After in Gaza: Lieberman's Vision" / "Egypt Must Step Up: Avigdor Liberman's Day-After Plan for Gaza" (party's English-speakers section). Dated May 2025, before the current campaign.
• S15 "No Enlistment, No Vote" (English-speakers section; written in the first person by an unnamed party MK, describes MK Oded Forer's bill). Dated May 2025.
• S16 "English speakers" landing page summarizing the party's positions for English speakers
• S17 Telegram channel @libermanru, "Новости от Авигдора Либермана" (News from Avigdor Liberman), posts 3030, 3031, 3037, 3040, 3045, 3046 (September 19 to 28, 2026)
• S18 Central Elections Committee list page "ישראל ביתנו בראשות אביגדור ליברמן", ballot letter ל, list submitted by the Yisrael Beiteinu party; ballot slip PDF and image
• S19 "רשימת מפלגת ישראל ביתנו לכנסת הבאה" (the party's candidate list for the 26th Knesset)
• S20 Party homepages (Hebrew and Russian) and news index, used for the inventory only

Together We Will Succeed wants to repeal the law that makes military service compulsory, and replace it with a small professional army of people who choose to serve.

Together We Will Succeed is a joint Arab-Jewish list led by Avi Shaked, on the ballot as בד. I couldn't find a platform document. Its website, in Hebrew, Arabic, and English, sets out a five-point plan, core values, and an About page. This episode walks through them topic by topic.

The five points cover personal security and crime in Arab society, ending compulsory conscription, economic justice and cost of living, uniting the Arab lists, and peace with the Palestinians and Arab states. Where the party hasn't published a position, the episode says 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/together-we-will-succeed/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uc2cdko7Z9g
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:44 Who they are
• 1:11 Security and foreign policy
• 1:48 October 7, Economy
• 2:10 Housing, Religion and state
• 2:39 Judiciary and governance
• 2:49 Education, Health
• 3:01 Social welfare, pensions, and the elderly
• 3:12 Arab citizens and minorities
• 3:40 Immigration, Environment: no stated position
• 3:53 What they put front and center
• 4:16 What's missing

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 Central Elections Committee page for the 26th Knesset: "ביחד נצליח - רשימה משותפת ערבית יהודית", submitted by "מפלגת ביחד נצליח", 9 candidates headed by שקד אבי. Printout of the CEC gov.il page, hosted by the Israel Democracy Institute (IDI)
• S2 ynet, CEC approval of 38 lists and their ballot letters, listing "בד" for "מפלגת ביחד נצליח, רשימה משותפת ערבית יהודית בראשות אבי שקד". Used only for the letters
• S3 IDI 2026 parties table. Lists "ביחד נצליח" with a candidate list and no platform link
• S4 Hebrew homepage: "תוכנית 5 הנקודות" (the five-point plan), FAQ "main goal" answer, candidate list, news items. Footer © 2026
• S5 "The Five-Point Plan" and FAQ in the party's own English
• S6 "مصطلحات المبادئ الخمسة" (the five principles) and FAQ; party name in Arabic «معًا ننجح»
• S7 Core values page ("ערכי ליבה", "מטרות משותפות"), including "a just and lasting peace between Israel and the Palestinians, based on the two-state solution"
• S8 "אודותינו" (About us): crime in Arab society at the core, reducing socioeconomic gaps, strengthening education and public services; HQ in Tamra
• S9 Essay by spokesperson Yoram Dori on Jewish-Arab cooperation during the war and the case for a parity-based party
• S10 "המאבק לשוויון: חזון למפלגה פוליטית יהודית-ערבית משותפת בישראל" (principles: full equality, shared community, democratic values, social justice)
• S11 "הפגנה בכפר אעבלין" (protest in I'billin): party youth held signs "ביחד נגד ההריסות", "ביחד נגד יוקר המחיה"
• S12 Party "videos" page listing interviews with the leaders (Kul al-Arab; "וואזקם" 15.06.2026; Makan; Bassam Jaber). Titles only; videos not transcribed
• S13 Knesset Channel list of all 26th Knesset candidate lists ("ביחד נצליח, רשימה משותפת ערבית יהודית: שקד אבי, עטאונה נעים, ...")
• S14 Site blog RSS feed (lists posts; several are Wix template filler, see Excluded)

Women's Voice is on the ballot, but I couldn't find anything this list has published about what it would do.

Women's Voice (Kol HaNashim, קול הנשים) is on the ballot as קה, with a 15-person list headed by Amir Israel Shadmi. I couldn't find a platform, website, interview, or official account for this year's list. This short episode goes through where I looked and what I found. A list with the same name ran in 2020 with different people; its positions are not carried over.

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 2, 2026.

Transcript, chapters and every source: https://closeread.show/israel-2026/womens-voice/
Watch the episode: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JcVrMUARhJM
Close Read is free and listener supported. Support it on Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/cw/TheCloseRead

Chapters

• 0:00 Intro
• 0:40 Who they are
• 0:58 What they've published
• 1:36 Security, October 7: no stated position
• 1:47 Economy, Housing, Religion and state: no stated position
• 1:58 Education, Health, Welfare, Arab citizens: no stated position
• 2:11 Immigration, Environment, Front and center: no stated position
• 2:26 What's missing

Sources (most in Hebrew)

• S1 CEC page "קול הנשים": list submitted by "מפלגת קול הנשים"; 15 candidates, first "ישראל שדמי עמיר"; ballot slip קה / ق ه, Arabic name صوت النساء
• S2 Ynet, CEC approval of 38 lists and their letters, "קה" for "קול הנשים". Letters only
• S3 CEC index of all 38 lists with letters; row קה, קול הנשים. Copied 2026-10-01 from the Joint List folder
• S4 Knesset Channel list of all 26th Knesset lists ("קול הנשים: ישראל שדמי עמיר, בוהדנה אמה, בן אבו טליה, ...")
• S5 IDI 2026 parties table: "קול הנשים" with a candidate list and no platform link
• S6 CEC page for the 23rd Knesset (March 2020): "קול הנשים", 97 candidates headed by "שאול מזל". No overlap with the 2026 names
• S7 IDI 2020 results table: "קול הנשים" with a candidate list and no platform link
• S8 Akiva Novick, live from the filing: an unnamed list representative tells Justice Sohlberg he is "subletting" the party from the original Kol HaNashim and has "a security agenda, not a feminist one." Paraphrase, no quote, speaker not named
• S9 Every query, account and retrieval attempt, 2026-09-30 and 2026-10-02