Miko Peled is an Israeli activist, author, he was a soldier and his father was one of the most famous generals in Israel. Miko grew up in Jerusalem from a prominent Zionist family. His grandfather Avraham Katsnelson, signed the Israeli Declaration of Independence. His father, Matti Peled, fought in the 1948 war and served as a general in the war in 1967. His father later became a peace activist and a leading proponent of an Israeli dialogue with the PLO as well as the two state solution.
Miko followed his fathers footsteps at first, joining Israels 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 discussed by the 1982 Lebanon invasion, he buried his service pin in the dirt. Hes written a book titled the Generals Son: Journey of An Israeli in Palestine. In a comment about the book Ilan Pappé writes, out of personal pain and sober reaction on the past comes this powerful narrative of transformation, empowerment and commitment. In her forward to Mikos book, Alice Walker writes there are few books on the Israeli-Palestine issue that seem as hopeful to me as this one.
Part 1: Miko Peled tells Paul jay that his father, a famous Israeli General, was ostracized for saying it was necessary to negotiate with the PLO and respect Palestinian self-determination; but he never gave up his belief that the expulsion of 1948 and creation of a Jewish state was justified. 16mins
Part 2: Miko Peled tells Paul Jay that he fulfilled a childhood dream and became a member of the IDF Special Forces; then he came to realize that everything he'd believed in was a lie. 25mins
Part 3: Miko Peled tells Paul Jay that he's come to understand that the Israeli occupation of Palestinian lands began in 1948 and he broke with the liberal zionist belief in the "secularization of the bible" and the mission of a Jewish state; he says BDS is an effective strategy that should be supported. 21mins