President Isaac Herzog addressed the President of Lebanon in Arabic, saying: "If you make peace with us, dismantle Hezbollah, rehabilitate southern Lebanon — I will certainly consider thinking about maybe giving Bibi a pardon." Herzog's remark, reported by a single channel with a linked telegram receipt, extends the peace overture he made earlier today while also introducing an unexpected domestic political element. The office of the presidency has not yet commented on the exact context or tone of the statement, and the Lebanese presidency is currently vacant.
President Isaac Herzog's latest reported message to the Lebanese presidency combines a peace offer with a startling nod to Israeli politics — suggesting he might consider a pardon for former Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the event of a comprehensive peace deal that includes Hezbollah's disarmament. The remark was relayed in a desk-reviewed report today at 13:40, and a linked telegram receipt is available. Earlier this morning, Herzog had said in Arabic while visiting the north: "I extend a hand of peace to the President of Lebanon and the Lebanese people" — a statement The Zioneer covered in a same-thread bulletin at 11:28. The identity of the Lebanese addressee remains unclear, as Lebanon's presidency has been effectively vacant since Michel Aoun's term ended in October 2022, and the office is currently held in a caretaker capacity by Prime Minister Najib Salam. Herzog's mention of a pardon for Netanyahu — whom he referred to by the nickname "Bibi" — adds a unpredictable domestic dimension to an already complex outreach. The president's office has not verified the wording, context, or tone of the statement, and no official confirmation from the presidency is available.
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