Israeli Finance Minister Admits English Speaking Hesitation Was Due to Confidence Blow

Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich has revealed that his decision to stop delivering speeches in English was not ideological, but rather a consequence of a significant blow to his self-confidence following an early speech in the language. Speaking on the "In Yasmine's Salon" podcast hosted by venture capitalist Yasmine Lukatz, Smotrich recalled a speech he gave shortly after taking office.

A video compilation of his stumbles and hesitations during that English speech, including a mispronunciation of "green maze," went viral online. Smotrich admitted that the edited video deeply affected him, stating, "In a moment of candor, I admit that it lowered my self-confidence all at once." He likened the experience to a car accident, suggesting he should have immediately given another English speech to overcome the setback.

When asked if he had resumed speaking English publicly since then, Smotrich answered no, acknowledging this as another mistake. He explained, "I tried to turn it into an ideal afterward. I came and said, okay, so a Jew speaks Hebrew." However, Smotrich emphasized that he is capable of conducting one-on-one conversations in English fluently, stating, "I speak English. Rest assured, I know how to conduct one-on-one conversations in English, to understand, to speak, everything is fine."