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The General's Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine

Miko Peled,

Alice Walker (Foreword)

4.15 · Rating details · 670 ratings · 83 reviews

In 1997, a tragedy struck the family of Israeli-American Miko Peled. His beloved niece Smadar was killed by a suicide bomber in Jerusalem. That tragedy propelled Peled onto a journey of discovery. It pushed him to re-examine many of the beliefs he had grown up with, as the son and grandson of leading figures in Israel's political-military elite, and transformed him into a ...more

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Paperback, 224 pages

Published June 1st 2012 by Just World Books

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Feb 08, 2013 Aya rated it really liked it

I have read many books by Israelis who are opponents to the occupation and Israel's policies of ethnic cleansing, but this is the first time I read a book by a General's son! The son of a well- known General in the Israeli army who played an important role in the establishment of Israel and the war of 1967. The book is divided into five parts. First, the writer gives us a full picture of his roots, his family and his father. All of who were pure Zionists. He was raised to be proud of his Zionism I have read many books by Israelis who are opponents to the occupation and Israel's policies of ethnic cleansing, but this is the first time I read a book by a General's son! The son of a well- known General in the Israeli army who played an important role in the establishment of Israel and the war of 1967. The book is divided into five parts. First, the writer gives us a full picture of his roots, his family and his father. All of who were pure Zionists. He was raised to be proud of his Zionism and his father is considered a hero for his roles in the Israeli army. Then the writer talks more about his life, how he excelled in karate, how he moved to the US, and how he started his journey of knowledge and eye opening to the truth about the Israel/Palestine conflict. He started to participate in clubs for peace talks, he tried to promote peace between the two sides, and finally he made it to the West Bank and then Gaza. He saw the occupation as a reality on the ground, he lived with Palestinians and saw how they suffer, he saw how the Israeli army, which he was taught to be proud of, treats Palestine. While reading this book, I couldn't but feel impressed by this person who went against the grain. This person was raised on specific principles and stereotypes about his country, the hero army, and the other enemy. This was all supported by almost everyone in his surroundings, in school, in his community and in a whole country. How much courage did he have to really think about it and open his heart and his eyes to see the ugly truth and occupation? How much courage did he have to face most people of his country- who are known to exclude and be aggressive towards anyone who dare to speak about it? I know Israeli peace activists who call for peace, but based on the 1967 borders. For us Palestinians, the issue is not about only the 67 borders, the issue needs to go back to its roots, to Haifa and Yaffa, to Safad and Beesan..Thank you Mr. Peled for acknowledging that this is a Palestinian land! Thank you for speaking out, thank you for being brave and for writing this book. ...more

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Jul 18, 2014 Noran Azmy rated it it was amazing

I imagine if we printed a couple of billion copies of this book and sat the whole world down for two days to read it, we would be able to achieve peace in the middle east the next day.

Two days is how long it takes to read this book, partly because it's short and partly because it is too interesting to put down. But before you read it, I recommend you first see the YouTube lecture by the author.

The account of not just any Jewish Israeli, but a former Zionist and army soldier, son to one of the mo ...more

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Jan 22, 2013 Robert rated it liked it

The General’s Son by Miko Peled, son of the legendary Israeli general Matti Peled is one of those books that is simultaneously disheartening and encouraging. In a sense, it’s two books. First, an account of how Matti Peled, the brilliant warrior and militant Zionist, became a scholar of Arab literature and proponent of returning the lands captured by Israel in the 1967 war to the Palestinian people. Second, an account of how his son, Miko, followed Mattei into Israel’s special forces, became inc The General’s Son by Miko Peled, son of the legendary Israeli general Matti Peled is one of those books that is simultaneously disheartening and encouraging. In a sense, it’s two books. First, an account of how Matti Peled, the brilliant warrior and militant Zionist, became a scholar of Arab literature and proponent of returning the lands captured by Israel in the 1967 war to the Palestinian people. Second, an account of how his son, Miko, followed Mattei into Israel’s special forces, became increasingly disillusioned with Zionist militarism and finally formed such strong bonds with his Palestinian counterparts that he now believes, and argues persuasively, that Israel/Palestine must be a single state--in fact, it already is one state, an apartheid state, within which the Jews dominate and discriminate against the Palestinians.

That’s an unusual story for American readers to encounter but not unrelated to serious crises of conscience in both the Jewish and Palestinian populations of what originally was called Palestine. There are many people there who have lost loved ones to the ongoing conflict who don’t think continuing animosity make sense. I’d guess that the majority of both populations still thinks in terms of what is known as a “two-state solution,” but that is an idea that has not, for decades, gone anywhere. Instead, the Israelis have continuously built more settlements that diminish the Palestinians’ prospects of ever achieving a viable state. On top of that, these settlements have generated a need for massive protective barriers and special roadways on which Palestinians may not drive.

Miko Peled’s account of the State of Israel, which he once served proudly, presents it as a nation ruled by succeeding generations of generals--brilliant leaders and politicians--who have overreached. The key novelty for me in this book is the assertion that in 1967 the Israeli cabinet did not direct the Israeli Defense Forces to occupy what is known as “the West Bank,” which formerly belonged to Palestinians under the 1947 partition. Rather, Israel’s key generals took that decision and made it a fait accompli. I also didn’t know that Matti Peled found the mysterious entity known as “the Gaza Strip” so repellant and unjust that he raised his concerns to Israel’s highest levels...without receiving an answer...from his friends and comrades in arms. Peled stood at the levels of Dayan and Rabin and was senior to famous Israeli leaders with a military background like Ariel Sharon and the current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu. His son’s portrait of him is that of an introverted, somewhat authoritarian, brilliant, taciturn man who would not abandon his moral principles for any political gain. He wasn’t interested in going along with a project that betrayed its own value system. He preferred to get to know the Arab world and through knowing it become a vigorous advocate of Arab/Palestinian-Israeli understanding.

This is fascinating. Matti Peled was a master of military logistics, acquisitions, and weapons development. Then in mid-career, he perfected his Arabic and became a man of letters and political culture, if you will.

So there’s story one in this book.

In story two, Miko falls out of love with the Israeli Defense Forces due to their wasteful arrogance and casual brutality. He follows a path that takes him deep into the martial arts. He founds successful businesses around his expertise in San Diego. And then his niece is killed in a Palestinian suicide attack in Jerusalem, and he begins putting himself on the line to try to figure out how to stop the carnage. First, he ventures into Jewish-Arab dialogues in Southern California. That’s demanding. Passions run high. Friends ask why he is talking with “those people.” Next, he works with fellow Rotarians to send wheelchairs to Israeli and Palestinian hospitals. Finally, he forms friendships with Palestinians in their chopped-up cities, towns, and villages.

For the longest time, he thinks of himself as a two-state Zionist. Finally, he concludes that the Palestinians he knows are a natural affinity group for the Jews in cultural and even democratic terms. That’s when he turns away from the corrupting force of Zionism and commits himself to the dream of a single democratic state that puts Palestine back together whole, Jews and Muslims and others living side-by-side in peace.

Miko isn’t a leading opinion-maker in Israeli thinking about the future of Palestine. He’s essentially a representative of a small minority that cannot bear the oppression the State of Israel imposes on the Palestinians. (Example: Netanyahu has explained that the Israeli settlements are a function of “natural growth,” as though the Palestinians don’t experience “natural growth,” too. Example: Golda Meir once indicated that for the longest time she had no idea that the Palestinians, i.e., the long-term residents of Palestine, were a people. This is more or less what Mitt Romney said--ignorance has a long shelf-life, apparently.) But in following his father’s path, Miko has found his way into a dynamic that may surprise us all over the next twenty years. How long before social media bring Israeli and Palestinian youth so close together that they can’t despise one another anymore? How long before the military credentials of so many Israeli leaders become less important than their diplomatic and economic credentials?

Within 2013 we in the U.S. may find ourselves called to deal with an Israeli preemptive attack on Iranian nuclear facilities. Israel is definitely our “friend;” we haven’t been real “friends” with Iran for a long time, if ever. But what are our interests and values, and how will the Obama administration express them? These are difficult questions. A diplomatic solution, which requires dialogue, compromise, and verification, would be far better both in the case of Iran and the Palestinians--better for the Israelis and better for Americans. The outcome, however, depends on whether people like Matti and Miko Peled, proponents of realistic peaceful engagement, prevail, or leaders who trust force more than words prevail.

So this is an interesting and timely book, a personal book written against the backdrop of historic issues. As Miko freely admits, it is possible to disagree with him, but I don’t think it’s possible to deny that he’s been a man who has acted out of conscience, just like his father. ...more

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Apr 27, 2013 Hamza rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, palestine, arab-world

I really can't give this book anything less than a perfect rating. It's one of those stories that just really sticks with you. Mr. Peled's evolution is truly remarkable, and I'm sure his father would be right there with him if he were still alive. ...more

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Sep 07, 2012 Laurence rated it it was amazing

This is an amazing, eye-opening book by the son of an Israeli general that chronicles the opening of his eyes to the injustices endured by Palestinians, and his personal journey of abandonding the petty solidarity of group identify for the struggle for justice. Incredibly riviting, and renews my faith in peaceful change.

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Feb 02, 2014 Zee1 rated it it was amazing

I will never be the same after reading this. Where do I even start?

Mine is the tale of an Israeli boy, a Zionist, who realized that his side of the story was not the only side and chose to cultivate hope in a situation most call impossible.

This is about Miko Peled's journey. His father's influence. The death of his niece in a suicide bomb attack that only further strengthened his resolve. It is enlightening, moving, at times, almost too much to read.

His father was the famous General Matti Pe ...more

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Mar 15, 2013 Aseel Tell rated it did not like it

As a Palestinian living in the occupied land outside the separation wall , I hate this book !!
before reading this book , I was trying to ignore the fact that on "OUR occupied land " there's actually people living , going to schools every day , having weddings, ... living ! they were born and raised here , on our stolen land ,... they ignored our existence on this land 65 years ago,and stole our land, and just because it's been stolen for 65 years doesn't mean it became theirs ! it will never be ...more

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Jun 24, 2014 Clif rated it it was amazing

Shelves: israel-palestine, biography

This is the latest read in my pursuit of knowledge about Israel/Palestine.

The book was a surprise to me in that the father's views were not what I expected. Matti Peled, the father, a famous (in Israel) general in the 1967 war, was not a narrow minded martinet, though he was brusque and reticent with his children. It is a shame that much of what his son Miko discovers in this story, could have been related to him directly by an open conversation with his dad. But we the readers would be worse of ...more

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Jun 04, 2019 Sleepless Dreamer rated it liked it

It's quite challenging to speak about this book.

So before I get into my opinions, I'd like to say this book is very easy to read. It flows well and I enjoyed reading it. I think it provides a perspective that's important.

The first third of the book is essentially the author flexing his cool family history, as Israelis love to do. If you're not Israeli, I'm not sure how much this part will influence you but for me, I found it quite impressive (and a little annoying).

The author goes on and on a ...more

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Jan 15, 2017 Mohammed Morsi rated it it was amazing

This book is amazing, not because of the way it is written but because of the integrity in which it is written. Furthermore the authenticity of the voice of Miko Peled carries you through his journey. To me, having experienced the brutal terror of the IDF, the words are not just describing of a man's journey but also of a man's conflict and in that, all of us. The way we wish to identify ourselves and whether the identity we choose is really true to who we are deep down. It takes courage to choo ...more

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Apr 29, 2017 Jeanne rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: memoir-biography, read-2017, read-around-the-world, middle-east, politics

The story of the war between Israelis and Palestinians is not an easy one – even its name changes with viewpoint. Several years ago, I read My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel. With each chapter, Avi Shavit turned my understanding of the conflict on its head. Every time I thought I understood what was happening, the story changed.

Miko Peled's memoir and analysis of Israeli/Palestinian conflict, The General's Son: Journal of an Israeli in Palestine takes a more definite stance. Al The story of the war between Israelis and Palestinians is not an easy one – even its name changes with viewpoint. Several years ago, I read My Promised Land: The Triumph and Tragedy of Israel. With each chapter, Avi Shavit turned my understanding of the conflict on its head. Every time I thought I understood what was happening, the story changed.

Miko Peled's memoir and analysis of Israeli/Palestinian conflict, The General's Son: Journal of an Israeli in Palestine takes a more definite stance. Although Peled is an Israeli Jew living in the United States and deeply loves his first country, he draws Israel as the aggressor, Palestinians as an oppressed and generally peaceful people who are behaving as makes sense under the circumstances.

Peled is from a family of peace activists. His father, Gen. Matti Peled, became a peace activist and professor of Arab literature after retiring from the military and government service. He advocated for a two-state solution, with Palestinians and Israel both having their own independent states. Miko Peled, his older sister, and her husband began actively advocating for peace after his sister's 13-year-old daughter was killed in a suicide attack.

Miko Peled argues that peace can only happen if Palestinians and Israelis talk together and build a single state comprised of citizens with equal status. Increasingly, he perceived Israel's army and bombing as disproportionate in size to the Palestinians' response (e.g., in Operation Cast Lead, the Israeli air force dropped 100 tons of bombs on Gaza in the first eight hours of a 21-day attack, with a one-ton bomb capable of destroying a city block). He recognized that his fear was of Palestinians was discrepant with the warm welcome he received as he entered their homes. He was dismayed when Israel prevented him, on the behalf of the Rotary, from giving wheelchairs and medication to the Palestinians (such humanitarian gifts to Israel were easily arranged). That innocent children were killed alongside "the guilty" – in contrast to God's willingness to spare Sodom if he found fifty righteous men there (Genesis 18: 23– 26) – caused him to feel betrayed by my own people, I felt ashamed of the country I used to be so proud of (p. 192). He concluded that Gaza – and much of the land on which Palestinians are allowed to live – is a prison for nearly two million people who are punished merely for insisting to live (p. 262).

From Peled's perspective, fear and separation were poisonous, while communication in more natural situations (e.g., grief groups) was healing for Palestinian and Jew. Much of The General's Son describes the opportunities he found to listen to and collaborate with Palestinians on humanitarian missions.

Peled was surprised by the ways that the news was distorted in the US and elsewhere to portray Palestinians as the aggressors and the Israelis as attempting to defend their rightful homeland. He quoted Charles Glass, ABC News's chief Middle East correspondent from 1983-1993, who emailed following the publication of one of Peled's articles:

I learned then something that was taught to me again and again over the years: you cannot write even simple facts about what Israel was doing if your editors cannot accept that Israel would do such things. I don’t know if they didn’t believe the story or they wanted to protect the image, but it happened with just about every American news agency I ever worked for. (p. 182)

This is an important point for all of us to remember, one that we forget when a political viewpoint disagrees with our own. If only for this reason, The General's Son is an important read.
...more

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Dec 14, 2020 Shahrazad rated it it was amazing

5 stars for the paradigm shift.

Eye opening , Informative and emotional at the same time.

You don’t need to know a lot about the conflict to read this as Miko gives the background and goes through arguments and counter arguments with clarity and precision.

May we manage to be like Miko and Matti Peled always capable of recognizing when the answers have changed.

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Aug 05, 2013 Beorn rated it really liked it

Shelves: politics, biography, palestine

For people not quite as fully immersed (read: obsessed) with the situation in Israel/Palestine, the name of Miko Peled, or his father Matti, may not be immediately familiar.
I first came across him when researching conscientious Israelis actively taking a stand for peace and opposing the actions of the Israeli state done in their name.

It took me a little while to get around to buying Miko's book but I couldn't regret for a second doing so.

In brief summary, up until his death, and such was his le For people not quite as fully immersed (read: obsessed) with the situation in Israel/Palestine, the name of Miko Peled, or his father Matti, may not be immediately familiar.
I first came across him when researching conscientious Israelis actively taking a stand for peace and opposing the actions of the Israeli state done in their name.

It took me a little while to get around to buying Miko's book but I couldn't regret for a second doing so.

In brief summary, up until his death, and such was his legacy that he remained so afterward, Matti Peled was one of Israel's most famous generals who was an arch Zionist that took part in the country's 1948 'War of Independence' or 'Nakba' depending on which side of the fence you sit. He also fought in the 1967 Yom Kippur War. After stepping down from his generalship, as governor of the newly conquered Gaza strip, Matti Peled gradually went through a moral reawakening and became a noted peace activist, became fluent in Arabic (even teaching Arabic literature at Tel Aviv University), working across the divide between Israelis & Palestinians, making life-long friends with the latter.
It is against this backdrop that his youngest(?) son, Miko, was born & raised in Jerusalem though spent some of his formative years in California.

After growing up as both a Zionist and questioning the stories he was told about the formation of his country as a child, Peled completed his mandatory IDF service in an elite special forces and eventually developed into a karate teacher. With a number of uncomfortable, face the fear moments and events behind him, Peled is now one of Israel's most well-known peace activists and supporters of Palestinian rights.

Nothing I can write here could quite do justice to the emotional journey that the book takes you on. Whatever side of the fence you sit on, whether pro-Israel, pro Palestinian or still feigning neutrality, you will appreciate the journey this man has been on.
I felt a little uncomfortable at first, after years of reading histories of the conflict from a Palestinian viewpoint, to be confronted by the POV of someone who had been born & raised in Jerusalem yet was not one of the maligned & dispossessed. It was forcing my brain to accept that there are Israelis who are just as close emotionally to the land as those Palestinians dispossessed, killed and expelled that truly opened myself up to what Miko had to say.
I only hope that anyone who is devoutly pro-Israel reads this with an open mind as, while this book is ideal reading for Palestinian advocates, to me it is just as compulsive reading for Zionists, politically savvy Jews and ordinary Israelis. For only when those who support Israel's actions without thinking come to appreciate the views of one of their own will there be genuine development in the search for peace.

Magical. ...more

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Mar 27, 2016 Belal Dabour rated it liked it

A good book generally. It gives an insider look at the lives of "the others" and how they are brought up and perceive their existence on this land as rightful.
The historical narration was interesting to read, but I think the book needs a deeper, analytical take that goes beyond the simple narration of a man's journey.
I am glad Miko doesn't identify himself as a Zionist anymore, but I want to hear it loud and clear how he thinks the future of 6 million refugees in exile fits within his vision of ...more

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Nov 25, 2012 Johnny rated it it was amazing

An important book about one man's journey to change his ideology and to explore how Palestinians in the West Bank live in the midst of military occupation. The shadow of his father Matti Peled (a general during the 1967 War who supported Palestinian rights afterwards) and the death of his 13-year-old niece to a suicide bombing in Jerusalem, loom over the entire book and led the author to become a supporter of peace and justice for the Palestinians. ...more

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Jan 21, 2013 Kelly rated it it was amazing

Very good book written by a very good man. I felt it was eye opening and at times made my heart ache. It made me see that even as a Christian I can still have a heart as a human being no matter our differences the treament of another person inhumanly would not be accepted anywhere else. I already have someone waiting to read it. Very happy to pass it on to help other people see what is really going on where we only see one side.

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Dec 31, 2016 Joan added it

Recommended to Joan by: Michael Brackney

Shelves: nonfiction, jewish_authors_and-or_interest, didi-not-finish-dnf, bio-and-autobiography, european-or-asian-history

I simply disagree too strongly with the premise here to finish reading. I admire the integrity of the author and his idealism but I simply completely disagree with him. Because I am quite sure that people will passionately disagree with me, I am not giving details and will not answer any attacks on my opinion.

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May 02, 2013 Louis Spirito rated it it was amazing

If you're interested in the Middle East and want an insider's perspective on how peace can be achieved, this is a must read. ...more

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Jul 21, 2014 Angela rated it it was amazing

Shelves: five-star-reads, non-fiction

Review to come once I have a few days to let the book's words sink in. ...more

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Jul 12, 2018 Duncan Falconer rated it really liked it

A very insightful book into the Israeli Palestine conflict as seen through the eyes of a man who's father played a significant role in the fight for Israel's survival after its creation in 1948. General Peled was an Israeli hawk who pushed hard to attack the Arabs first in the 6 day war and is largely given credit for that victory. When the war was over, General Peled believed it was time for the Israelis and Palestinians to live together and share the country in peace. Few members of the milita A very insightful book into the Israeli Palestine conflict as seen through the eyes of a man who's father played a significant role in the fight for Israel's survival after its creation in 1948. General Peled was an Israeli hawk who pushed hard to attack the Arabs first in the 6 day war and is largely given credit for that victory. When the war was over, General Peled believed it was time for the Israelis and Palestinians to live together and share the country in peace. Few members of the military elite and politicos shared his views. General Peled spent the rest of his life arguing for the removal of the physical and political barriers the Israelis were building between themselves and the Palestinians. He predicted decades ago the terrible and constant conflict Israelis and Palestinians would have to suffer until Israel changed its myopic attitude, brought down its walls and embarked on the construction of two states, one Israeli, the other Palestinian. The story does not end with the death of the general though. Miko, one of his sons, a trained Israeli soldier, did not always share his father's views. But his love for and interest in his own country and people led him to explore his father's beliefs and subsequently he took up the fight in the name of his father. Miko has gone one step further than his father in proposing a single state where Israelis and Palestinians live together. I lived and worked in Palestine for many months when Miko was a young man, during the Second Intifada, spending most of my time in Palestine's West Bank and Gaza. I arrived not knowing much about the conflict but within weeks, despite being no fan of Islam and despising the PLO, after experiencing the Israeli solutions to the problem, comparing them to my own deep experiences of an internal security conflict (Northern Ireland), I soon came to the conclusion there was something unsustainable and terrible about the way Israelis were managing their country and neighbours. The book describes many hard truths about Israeli inhumanity and Palestinian suffering. It isn't popular among most Jews and Israelis, mainly because they don’t appear to believe it to be true. For a conflict where there seems no end, it's hard to ignore Peled's solutions. They might just be the only ones that will bring about peace in that troubled land. ...more

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Jul 23, 2020 Noor Jaber rated it it was amazing

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. This book is truly a work of art, it is an amazing read for whoever likes to read about the mentality of the Israeli occupation. Back in college I was enrolled in a course titled “Palestinian- Israeli Conflict”. During one of the classes in this course, Miko Peled was brought in as a guest speaker. Now as a Palestinian his speech was very heartfelt as it has resonated deeply within me and some of my other classmates. After hearing him speak; I decided to purchase this book from him. All in all, This book is truly a work of art, it is an amazing read for whoever likes to read about the mentality of the Israeli occupation. Back in college I was enrolled in a course titled “Palestinian- Israeli Conflict”. During one of the classes in this course, Miko Peled was brought in as a guest speaker. Now as a Palestinian his speech was very heartfelt as it has resonated deeply within me and some of my other classmates. After hearing him speak; I decided to purchase this book from him. All in all, this book is a magnificent read, I truly enjoyed reading about all the various details he brings forth in his diverse chapters. He mentions some great and forgotten details about what Arabs have lived through during war times and resistance movements (what happened at the Rafah border after the war of 1967 is truly keen to understand the measures of ethnic cleansing that the Israeli’s have taken).

He touches on some really interesting key ideas; one of which is that Palestinian resistance will never achieve immunity for them. This stands true because there are different laws set to govern ‘different people’. What I enjoyed most about reading this book was the fact that how he like all other Israelis grew up to be completely and utterly oblivious to their surroundings and their disregard to the Palestinian inhabitants. With time his thinking has changed and is documented in his book, and he could even be searched up on the internet, to this day he portrays himself as an activist with the means of defying his own corrupt system.

In chapter 9 Miko Peled visits Nazareth for the very first time. Once in Nazareth he says that he feels alienated “the street signs screamed in Arabic. I realized I was surrounded by Arabs, and suddenly everything spelled danger. This trip is dated to have taken place sometime in 2003. What I didn’t like here is that in throughout all of this book, Peled makes these comments about the Arabs with the word Arab being typed with the use of quotation marks around it, but why? This is written in chapter 9, so this narrative of his has come a long way; by now, he has his beliefs set in stone, but he still portrays himself as naive as ever (by saying that ‘they’ would attack us), even though he’s been through a lot of changes in his life including one that involves commingling and portraying oneself as an activist and an active member in dialogue groups with Arab Palestinians in the US and in Palestine on this very issue.

While reading through the events described in this book, and seeing how Peled describes his journey through Arab neighborhoods and the harassment he went through as he was leaving Bethlehem; one can’t help but wonder how the human life especially that of the Arabs had been devalued and belittled by the struggles that are inflicted upon them by the Israeli occupation; one that has proven itself to be very hypocritical because it has been noted and observed that at least from the 2000’s and on wards, if another ethnic race were in trouble, then the Israelis would have sided with them and aided them.

One of the questions that I had whilst reading this book is: do current Israeli’s that continue with these ongoing and inhuman atrocities against the Palestinians ever read such books about redemption and reconciliation; if they read such narratives, then they’ll allow their thoughts to develop and they might bring about a change. Here is one possible answer and it is, no Israelis don’t read such narrative that are published by their own people. Reason is because if they read it, then whether bluntly or not they’re admitting to their own wrongdoings on behalf of the Palestinians. And where would they go from here with the never-dying question of: how many states should we have here? ...more

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Sep 15, 2014 Yasmin rated it liked it

Utterly intriguing. Matti Peled's reaction to what he saw is what I, innocently, expect a normal human to do. Only after reading and hearing the arrogance by which Zionists talk about the nonnegotiable belief in their right to a Jewish state did I comprehend how not all Jews react the same way Matti and his son Miko did.
Palestine from the eyes of a Jewish, previously strict Zionist, was a sight I never had before, and this is a brilliant book the get such a sight.

I found the persistence that Mik ...more

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Aug 17, 2017 Donna rated it it was amazing

All Americans need to read this. Much more than dry history, a real eye opener about the nature of the Israel/Palestine conflict. Americans (as well as most Israelis) will never know the truth if they only hear the mainstream narative. Mr. Peled's father - a hero in the formation of Israel & also in the 1967 6 days war, spent the rest of his life seeking peace for the 2 factions. But world leaders deliberately paint an entirely different picture than what is seen if one is brave enough to seek t ...more

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Oct 31, 2015 Kathryn rated it really liked it

I wanted to learn more about the history of this region and the peoples who live there - from differing viewpoints. On hearing this, a Jewish friend recommended this book. Bought the electronic version initially. I was so impressed I then bought the paperback version so I could more easily mark passages in the book. The actual writing is occassionally disjoint with too much time spent on the karate parts of his life. It could have used another go with a good editor. It jumped about chronological ...more

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Aug 10, 2019 Suze rated it it was amazing

Shelves: memoir

After reading the previous book, I Shall Not Hate, which gave a Palestinian’s view of Israel’s stranglehold on Palestine, I thought I should balance it out with an Israeli’s perspective. In this book Peled, who comes from a prominent Israeli family, tells his personal story of surmounting the bigoted attitudes of his upbringing.
Surprise – both authors are of the same opinion! Men from two different sides, one a Palestinian victim, the other an Israeli born Jew, are both saying Israel’s regime ...more

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Nov 20, 2017 Roger rated it it was amazing

The fact that it only took 3 days to read is the first clue on how good a book it is. Having recently traveled to Israel / Palestine and spending much of our trip in East Jerusalem and the West Bank, this book made a lot of sense. I concur that the 2 state solution is untenable, given how badly the Palestinians have been oppressed by the Israelis. I really feel for the Palestinians, as the Israeli military presence is overpowering, as is the explosive growth of the Jewish settlements eating up e ...more

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Feb 16, 2018 Maryc rated it really liked it

Shelves: palestine-israel, 2018-reads

Definitely 4 and 1/2 stars. Easy fast read but good insights into history and reality without getting too heavy. His stories of personal relationships, friendships, and family make this narrative so compelling and easy to access compared to some other more academic reads on this subject. Highly recommend this one! Miko is optimistic and leaves the reader feeling there is true hope of a just peace. America needs to butt out and stop siding with the oppressors and stop funding this brutal illegal ...more

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Mar 01, 2018 Martin rated it it was amazing

Very well written! Miko avoids politics as best he can and focuses on the human aspect of stories behind people and events. One of the most readable books on the topic, and in fact one of the most readable books I've ever read. Absolutely excellent for anyone who has no idea about Palestine and the related conflicts. He comes from a family of very prominent Israelis and I found that his book was very genuine and honest in his account of his experiences and him trying to make sense of things. ...more

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Apr 10, 2013 Uli rated it really liked it

This is such an eyeopener and I so admire Miko Peled's journey and the story of his father's life. Anyone interested in the Israeli/Palestinian conflict should read this book. I borrowed it from the library. ...more

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Sep 05, 2017 karen mandraccha rated it really liked it · review of another edition

Conflict Middle East

This book is an easy read and gives some insight into Israeli and Palestine. Problem. The information can get be repetitive. But over all an interesting. Story

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About Miko Peled

Miko Peled

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Miko Peled is an Israeli peace activist, author, and karate instructor. His first book is The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine, and his most recent is Injustice: The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five. He has travelled extensively, giving talks about his experiences to audiences across the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Born and raised in Jerusalem in 1961, Peled grew up in Miko Peled is an Israeli peace activist, author, and karate instructor. His first book is The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine, and his most recent is Injustice: The Story of the Holy Land Foundation Five. He has travelled extensively, giving talks about his experiences to audiences across the US, the UK, Canada, and Australia.

Born and raised in Jerusalem in 1961, Peled grew up in a prominent Zionist family; his grandfather, Avraham Katsnelson, 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".He was marginalized and shunned for his activism and call for a two-state solution. Palestinian activist Susan Abdulhawa has described Peled's father, who died in 1995, as “a man that many of us Palestinians could not figure out whether to love or hate” and whom “many notable Palestinians” nicknamed “Abu Salam” (Father of Peace).
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.[5] 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.For a time he was involved in activism. One evening in 1983, however, he skipped a Peace Now demonstration in Jerusalem to attend karate class, and on that evening a grenade attack by a right-wing extremist killed one of the demonstrators. “Peled took this as a sign,” according to one interview, and consequently “followed the path of karate – a practice of non-violence...that teaches one to 'overcome insurmountable obstacles.'” This path “that took him to Japan and eventually to San Diego, where he settled with his wife and family” and worked as a karate instructor. He is a sixth-degree black belt. ...more