Politicsמתי פלד

Mattityahu Peled

Mattityahu Peled was an Israeli major general, Arabic literature scholar and peace activist who served in the Knesset from 1984 to 1988.

1923 to 1995Major general in the Six-Day WarAdvocating talks with the PLOTeaching Arabic literatureCo-founding Gush Shalom

Born: 20 July 1923, Haifa
Died: 10 March 1995, Jerusalem
Occupation: politician, university teacher, soldier, peace activist
Party: Progressive List for Peace, Israeli Labor Party, Left Camp of Israel
Education: Hebrew University of Jerusalem, University of California, Los Angeles
Rank: general
Wars: 1948 Palestine war, Suez Crisis, Six-Day War, War of Attrition

Mattityahu Peled was born in 1923 in Haifa

Peled was born Mattityahu Ifland in Haifa in 1923, the elder of two sons of Baruch, a carpenter, and Sarah. His parents had come from Ukraine in 1921. The family moved to Jerusalem during his childhood, and he was active in the Hamahanot Haolim youth movement.

He joined the Haganah in 1938 and the Palmach in 1941, serving in its Jerusalem company. In 1946 he began studying law in London, then returned to fight in 1947 and 1948 and joined the IDF. He later commanded the Jerusalem region and, in 1956 and 1957, the Gaza Strip.

His time in Gaza led him to study Arabic. He reached the rank of Aluf and served on the General Staff during the Six-Day War. He retired from the IDF in 1969.

He earned a Ph.D. in Arabic literature from UCLA and taught at Tel Aviv University until 1990, heading its Department of Arabic Language and Literature. He called for talks with the PLO and full withdrawal from the occupied territories, and helped found the Israel Council for Israeli-Palestinian Peace.

In 1984 he entered the Knesset for the Progressive List for Peace and served until 1988. He later helped form Gush Shalom. He died in 1995.

Mattityahu Peled's life in 9 milestones

1923
Born in Haifa.
1938
Joined the Haganah.
1941
Joined the Palmach.
1946
Began studying law in London.
1956
Became military commander of the Gaza Strip.
1967
Served on the General Staff in the Six-Day War.
1969
Retired from the IDF.
1984
Elected to the Knesset for the Progressive List for Peace.
1995
Died.

Mattityahu Peled served in the military

Peled joined the Haganah in 1938 and the Palmach in 1941, then served in the IDF from 1948, commanding the Jerusalem region and the Gaza Strip. He reached the rank of Aluf, served on the General Staff in the 1967 Six-Day War, and retired in 1969.

Israeli Labor Party