India, Oct. 11 -- Israeli President Isaac Herzog has written to Indian pilot Captain Smit Machchhar, calling him a "hero of Israel, India, and all of humanity" and pledging to present him with Israel's Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism after he recovers from injuries sustained while stopping an alleged attempt to crash a Tel Aviv-bound flydubai flight.

In a post on X, Herzog said he had sent Machchhar a letter over the weekend, expressing his prayers for the captain's recovery and inviting him to Jerusalem once he regains his strength.

"On behalf of the people of Israel, I would be honored to present you with Israel's highest recognition of civilian heroism, the Israeli Presidential Award for Civilian Heroism," Herzog wrote.

The ...