President Isaac Herzog invited Pope Leo XIV to visit Israel ahead of the pontiff's inauguration on Sunday.
“I carry with me a message of friendship, respect, and dialogue – and I invite him to visit the Holy Land and meet the people of Israel," Herzog said in an interview with the Vatican's newspaper, L'Osservatore Romano.
In his interview, he highlighted Jerusalem's desire to have closer relations with the Christian world, particularly Catholics. He also spoke about the Ocotber 7 massacre and the hostages.
“We must understand my people’s pain. October 7 was not ‘just’ a massacre – it was a massacre of people who dreamed of peace and lived alongside neighbors who attacked them with cruelty. That cannot be downplayed," he said. “If they are released, there will be a dramatic and positive change—not only in Gaza, but across the entire region.”
