Bezalel Smotrich's unusual confession: "It was a mistake"

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich admitted for the first time that his cessation of English-language speeches stemmed from a collapse in his self-confidence following a viral video of his hesitations, not from ideology. In an interview on the podcast "In Yasmin's Living Room," he said he tried to turn the avoidance into an ideal of speaking Hebrew, but now recognizes it as a mistake.

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich revealed in an interview on the podcast "In Yasmin's Living Room" by investor Yasmin Lukatz an unusual confession: his cessation of English-language speeches was not due to national ideology, but to a collapse in his self-confidence. Smotrich recounted that shortly after taking office, he delivered a 20-minute speech in English, which he said was good, but an edited video compiling three or four moments of hesitation — including the viral phrase "grain miser" — immediately undermined his confidence. He admitted he was wrong not to immediately deliver another speech in English, comparing it to someone who has had a car accident and needs to get back behind the wheel. Since then, he said, he has not spoken in English and tried to turn the avoidance into an ideal of speaking Hebrew. However, he emphasized that he is capable of conducting fluent conversations in English. The confession reveals a rare personal aspect of a senior minister and raises questions about how a media event affects public conduct.

Bezalel Smotrich's unusual confession: "It was a mistake"