"The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine" book review

“Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one-step at a time.”

 Lyndon B. Johnson  

This book was a great journey, a one that took me to another world where love rules. It made me see that understanding, humanity and friendship exist in each one of us.

Coming from an Israeli Family, Miko Peled is a man who sacrificed his life to put an end to the injustice and discrimination targeting Palestinians. In his book, he retells the events of his works and encourages his people to love and accept others.

After fighting in the wars of 1948 and 1967, Mattityahu Peled an Israeli general and Miko’s father, became a peace activist and was nicknamed by many Palestinian by “Abou al salam”. He worked faithfully for a dialogue between both sides of the conflict, aiming for a life of peace where only humanity would be valued.

Miko’s lived safely in the U.S.A. trying to turn his back to all what was happening in his birth land. Nevertheless, the death of his niece tipped the scales and he found himself concerned about a cause that goes further than his personal life and touches the life of thousands of people.

Being able to feel sympathy toward your supposed enemy, searching for a way to build up amity, and believing that no war can be fair or just, are things that few of us are able to do

Miko Peled did not question his responsibilities towards humanity. He worked and he is still working to make a difference, to give the weak a reason to believe in tomorrow, to give back to the children of Palestine their right of a normal safe life, to create a place for harmony and love between the different zones of war and killing.

In his journey, Miko faced some huge personal barriers and he went through all of them holding his faith in humanity. He went to the other side, to the enemy quarter, he felt strange and scared but nothing stopped him from following the voice of his conscience.

Dear Mr. Peled, you gave me a reason to feel safe, you rebuilt hope in me and you made me understand that humanity is far beyond conflicts and nationalities; it exists inside each one of us.

A friend told me once:” I was born in this country out of my choice, I don’t really want to spend my life trying to make it better”.

My friend, now I have the answer: “When you try to make a change in this world you are not doing it for “your country”, you are doing it for yourself. Being Human is a responsibility that you carry on your shoulders. If you want to ignore it, this is your choice. However, do you not feel jealous when you see someone working for humanity while you are sitting in front of the TV?”

I absolutely do.