Smotrich Predicts Bennett Will Serve as Netanyahu's Defense Minister

Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich made a surprising prediction regarding former Prime Minister Naftali Bennett's political future during an appearance on the "In Yasmine's Living Room" podcast. Smotrich stated his belief that Bennett will secure a single-digit number of seats in the upcoming elections and subsequently serve as Defense Minister under Benjamin Netanyahu.

Smotrich elaborated on his prediction, suggesting that Bennett, who previously "stole votes for the left" by appealing to right-wing voters, would now "steal votes for the right" by aligning with the left. This assertion contrasts sharply with Bennett's public declarations that he will not cooperate with Netanyahu and believes he should retire from politics.

In the same interview, Smotrich also reflected on a widely circulated edited video of his English speech at a Jewish National Fund (JNF) conference in March 2023. The video highlighted his stumbles and hesitations, which Smotrich admitted negatively impacted his self-confidence at the time. He confessed that he regretted not immediately delivering another English speech afterward, comparing the situation to a driver getting back behind the wheel after a car accident.