Miko Peled is an Israeli-American author, activist, and martial artist. He was born into a prominent Zionist family; his father was the well-known Israeli General and politician Matti Peled. Miko served in the Israeli Special Forces in his youth but left following disillusionment with the system. Prior to his full-time commitment to political activism, he had a distinguished career in martial arts, holding a sixth-degree black belt in Karate and operating martial arts schools in the United States.
Peled’s most significant professional achievement is his 2012 book, “The General’s Son: Journey of an Israeli in Palestine.” The memoir chronicles his transformation from a member of the Zionist elite to a staunch advocate for Palestinian rights and is considered essential reading for understanding the shifting narratives of the conflict. As an influential public speaker, he travels the world delivering lectures aimed at deconstructing mainstream narratives and challenging the structural policies of Israel.
Peled’s stance is radical within the Israeli context: he openly advocates for the dismantling of Zionism and supports a single democratic state with full, equal rights for all (the “One-State Solution”). The 1997 death of his niece in a suicide bombing prompted him to engage deeply with Palestinian society, leading him to support the Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions (BDS) movement. He frequently participates in on-the-ground protests in Palestinian territories and has been arrested multiple times for acts of civil disobedience against the occupation. Leveraging his unique identity as a “General’s Son,” he works to expose what he describes as an apartheid system, emphasizing that true peace can only be built on a foundation of justice and total equality.