Finance Minister Smotrich Admits Public Criticism Damaged His Self-Confidence

Israeli Finance Minister and Religious Zionism party leader Bezalel Smotrich revealed that a viral edited video of his English speech at a 2023 Bond conference in the United States significantly impacted his self-confidence. Speaking on the podcast "Yasmin's Living Room" hosted by tech entrepreneur Yasmin Lukatz, Smotrich described the ten-minute speech, his first ever in English, as personally successful despite some stumbles due to nervousness.

However, after the event, an edited clip highlighting his linguistic errors and hesitations circulated widely on social media. Smotrich confessed, "In a moment of honesty, I admit that it lowered my self-confidence all at once." He reflected that he should have handled the aftermath differently, perhaps by delivering another English speech shortly after the incident, comparing it to immediately driving again after a car accident.

Smotrich confirmed he has not delivered another English speech since that event, acknowledging in retrospect that this was a mistake. He initially tried to frame it positively, stating, "Okay, so a Jew speaks Hebrew," but later clarified that his avoidance of English speeches does not stem from an inability to communicate in the language. "I speak English. Rest assured, I can conduct one-on-one conversations in English, understand, speak, everything is fine," he assured.

The minister's candid remarks offer a rare glimpse into his personal struggle with public criticism and how a specific media event influenced his subsequent decisions.