Israeli Minister Dudi Amsalem Shares Experience of Heart Attack and Online Harassment

Israeli Minister Dudi Amsalem recounted the moment he suffered a heart attack while alone at home in an interview with Avi Shushan. He described feeling intense pain, likening it to "thirty to forty kilos stepping on him," and immediately recognized the severity of the situation. Although he did not call an ambulance, he contacted his driver to take him to the hospital, where he underwent an urgent angioplasty procedure. Amsalem noted that this was not his first such episode and felt he arrived at the hospital just in time. When asked if the event scared him, he replied, "No, it does not scare me."

The minister also addressed the harsh messages he receives on social media, including thousands of curses even when he posts simple greetings like "Shabbat Shalom." He mentioned that some comments following a post commemorating his late wife, who passed away 17 years ago, were particularly hurtful and that his children sometimes see these messages. Amsalem expressed disbelief at the hostility but said he does not take it to heart. He attributed the animosity toward him to his habit of speaking candidly, stating, "In the end, I always say what is on my heart."