Miko Peled is a writer and activist born and raised in Jerusalem. Driven by a personal family tragedy to explore Palestine, its people and their narrative, he has written a book about his journey called “The General’s Son, Journey of an Israeli in Palestine.”
Biography
Miko Peled is a writer and activist born and raised in Jerusalem. Driven by a personal family tragedy to explore Palestine, its people and their narrative he has written a book about his journey called “The General’s Son, Journey of an Israeli in Palestine.”
In the forward to the book, Pulitzer Prize winner Alice Walker writes: “There are few books on the Palestine/Israel issue that seem as hopeful to me as this one.
Pulitzer Prize journalist Seymour Hersh calls it: A brilliantly rendered father-and- son saga that evokes Greek mythology.”
Pulitzer Prize writer Naomi Wolf called it: “Brave, honorable and engaging.”
Jim Miles of Foreign policy journal writes in his review: “There are many powerful books written on the topic of Palestine/Israel but few if any are as masterfully written as Miko Peled’s “The General’s Son.”
The book covers the work in which Peled’s family has been involved since his grandparents immigrated to Palestine in the early 20th century, describing their work and their life in detail. Peled’s maternal grandfather was a signer on the Israeli Declaration of Independence; his father was a General in the Israeli army; in the 1970s his father pioneered the Israeli Palestinian dialogue and eventually met with Yasser Arafat. In 1997 his sister lost her daughter in a suicide bombing in Jerusalem.
Peled is a contributor to several online publications that deal with the Middle East and he authors a blog, mikopeled.com dedicated to tearing down the separation wall, and advocating the creation of one democratic state with equal rights for Israelis and Palestinians. He travels regularly to Palestine/Israel where he speaks, works with the popular resistance, Miko has been arrested several times by the Israeli authorities for his activities.
He has visited and spoke in Gaza (via tunnel), and is a sought after speaker both domestically and internationally.
Educated in Israel, Japan and the United States, Peled is a professional martial artist. He holds a sixth degree black belt in karate. For 23 years Peled ran a martial arts school that was dedicated to teaching leadership skills and nonviolent conflict resolution through martial arts. He also taught classes to Palestinian children in the West Bank. Peled has recently sold his martial arts school and is now dedicating his time to writing, speaking and activism focused on equal rights for the people of Palestine.
Watch Miko’s latest interview on the Tavis Smiley Show. Miko discusses his book “The General’s Son” and current Israel – Palestine relations.