Miko Peled: Difference between revisions
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==Early life== |
==Early life== |
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Born and raised in Jerusalem in 1961, Peled grew up in a prominent [[Zionist]] family; his grandfather signed Israel’s Declaration of Independence. His father, [[Mattityahu Peled]], fought in the 1948 war and served as a general in the war of 1967; later, after the Israeli cabinet ignored his investigation of |
Born and raised in Jerusalem in 1961, Peled grew up in a prominent [[Zionist]] family; his grandfather signed Israel’s Declaration of Independence. His father, [[Mattityahu Peled]], fought in the 1948 war and served as a general in the war of 1967; later, after the Israeli cabinet ignored his investigation of an 1967 Israeli war crime, he became a peace activist and leading proponent of an Israeli dialogue with the [[PLO]]. He condemned the Israeli military for illegally seizing the [[West Bank]], [[Gaza]], [[Sinai]] and the [[Golan Heights]], calling the war a "cynical campaign of territorial expansion".<ref>http://www.muslimlink.ca/life/book-review/book-review-the-generals-son-journey-of-an-israeli-in-palestine</ref> He was marginalized and shunned for his activism and call for a [[two-state solution]]. Miko Peled followed his father’s footsteps at first, joining Israel’s Special Forces after high school and earning the red beret, but he soon grew to regret his decision. He surrendered his status as soon as he earned it, becoming a medic, and finally, disgusted by the [[1982 Lebanon war|1982 Lebanon invasion]], he buried his service pin in the dirt.<ref>https://www.warresisters.org/content/general’s-son-journey-israeli-palestine</ref> He then distanced himself from activism until 1997, becoming a sixth-degree black belt in karate and moving first to Japan, then to San Diego.<ref>http://www.haaretz.com/news/features/following-in-the-footsteps-of-his-father-a-zionist-hero-toward-a-free-and-democratic-palestine-1.514402</ref> |
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==Activism== |
==Activism== |
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Revision as of 22:53, 16 December 2013
Miko Peled (born 1961 in Jerusalem) is an Israeli peace activist, author, and karate instructor. He has written one book, The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine,[1] and he has travelled extensively, giving talks about his experiences to audiences across the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia.
Early life
Born and raised in Jerusalem in 1961, Peled grew up in a prominent Zionist family; his grandfather signed Israel’s Declaration of Independence. His father, Mattityahu Peled, fought in the 1948 war and served as a general in the war of 1967; later, after the Israeli cabinet ignored his investigation of an 1967 Israeli war crime, he became a peace activist and leading proponent of an Israeli dialogue with the PLO. He condemned the Israeli military for illegally seizing the West Bank, Gaza, Sinai and the Golan Heights, calling the war a "cynical campaign of territorial expansion".[2] He was marginalized and shunned for his activism and call for a two-state solution. Miko Peled followed his father’s footsteps at first, joining Israel’s Special Forces after high school and earning the red beret, but he soon grew to regret his decision. He surrendered his status as soon as he earned it, becoming a medic, and finally, disgusted by the 1982 Lebanon invasion, he buried his service pin in the dirt.[3] He then distanced himself from activism until 1997, becoming a sixth-degree black belt in karate and moving first to Japan, then to San Diego.[4]
Activism
In 1997, Peled’s 13-year-old niece Smadar was killed in a suicide attack in Jerusalem; this tragedy, and his sister Nurit’s insistence that it was caused by the occupation, inspired Peled to closely examine the history of Palestine and Israel and became the starting point for his life-long activism.[5] He came to the conclusion that the two-state solution his father had promoted would no longer suffice, and he now advocates for the creation of a single democratic state with equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians.[6] He claims that the current situation is an apartheid regime that must go, and that a single-state solution is closer than many people think because of the changing mindsets of many Israelis, American Jews, and holocaust survivors. He has travelled in Palestine, teaching karate to children in refugee camps and doing nonviolent activism, and this once led to his detainment by Israeli soldiers for illegally entering Area A.[7] He left his karate school to go on tour, speaking about his experiences and promoting his book; he has given lectures in the US, Canada, Australia, and the UK, and he has plans to visit New Zealand and Malaysia. He also authors a blog that is dedicated to creating peace between Israelis and Palestinians, to tearing down Israel’s separation wall, and advocating equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians.[8]
Book
Peled is the author of The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine,[9] a book which chronicles his personal journey from being a Zionist to an outspoken advocate of peace and a single-state solution in Israel and Palestine. The book features a foreword by Alice Walker, activist and author of The Color Purple.[10]
References
- ^ http://justworldbooks.com/the-generals-son-journey-of-an-israeli-in-palestine/
- ^ http://www.muslimlink.ca/life/book-review/book-review-the-generals-son-journey-of-an-israeli-in-palestine
- ^ https://www.warresisters.org/content/general’s-son-journey-israeli-palestine
- ^ http://www.haaretz.com/news/features/following-in-the-footsteps-of-his-father-a-zionist-hero-toward-a-free-and-democratic-palestine-1.514402
- ^ http://www.haaretz.com/news/features/following-in-the-footsteps-of-his-father-a-zionist-hero-toward-a-free-and-democratic-palestine-1.514402
- ^ http://mikopeled.com/
- ^ http://www.haaretz.com/news/features/following-in-the-footsteps-of-his-father-a-zionist-hero-toward-a-free-and-democratic-palestine-1.514402
- ^ http://mikopeled.com/
- ^ http://justworldbooks.com/the-generals-son-journey-of-an-israeli-in-palestine/
- ^ http://www.themadisontimes.com/news_details.php?news_id=2369