Mattiyahu Peled (1925-1995) was a prominent Israeli military commander, politician, and peace activist. Born on November 16, 1925, in Haifa, Mandatory Palestine, to a family of Polish Jewish immigrants, he grew up in a Zionist environment and joined the Haganah, the precursor to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), during his youth. He served with distinction in the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the 1956 Suez Crisis, and the 1967 Six-Day War, rising to the rank of major general in the IDF by 1969. During the Six-Day War, he commanded the Israel Defense Forces' northern front, contributing significantly to military successes. After retiring from the military in 1970, Peled entered politics, joining the Labor Party and serving as a member of the Knesset from 1969 to 1973. In 1978, he co-founded the Peace Now movement, Israel's first extra-parliamentary peace organization, which mobilized public opinion against the occupation and for a two-state solution. His shift from hawkish military leader to doveish peace advocate made him a controversial yet influential voice in Israeli society. Peled also earned a law degree from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 1957 and later taught at Tel Aviv University. He remained active in peace efforts until his death on November 10, 1995, in Jerusalem, from a heart attack at age 69. His legacy endures through Peace Now and his writings, which emphasized dialogue and justice in the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.