The General's Son

Book excerpt: In 1996, a tragedy struck the family of Israeli-American Miko Peled: His beloved niece was killed by a terror bomber in Jerusalem. That tragedy propelled Peled onto a journey of discovery and self-discovery, during which he met and became close to numerous other people, Israelis and Palestinians, who had similarly lost loved ones to the conflict between their peoples. Peled's journey echoed the trajectory taken 40 years earlier by his father, renowned Israeli general Matti Peled. But Miko Peled ended up at a different destination, as an outspoken supporters of a one-state outcome for Palestinians and Israelis with full civic equality between all citizens of the state.In this compelling memoir, Peled traces his journey-- from growing up in Jerusalem in the heart of the group that ruled the young country, Israel, through his military service and subsequent global travels; and then, after his niece's killing, back into the heart of Israel's conflict with the Palestinians. He provides an intimate window into the fears that haunt both peoples-- but also into the real courage of all those who, like himself, have been pursuing a steadfast grassroots struggle for equality for all the residents of the Holy Land.