Yossi Peled
(1941-)
Yossi Peled was born as Jeffke Mendelevich in Belgium in 1941. During World War II, he was adopted by a Christian family along with his sister. After the war, his mother returned to take him to Israel.
Yossi Peled served in the IDF for 30 years. During the Six-Day War, he was a company commander in the 84th Armored Division. In the War of Attrition, he served as a battalion commander on the Suez Canal. In the Yom Kippur War, Peled was in command of the reservist 205th Armored Brigade. His brigade moved from Jerusalem to the Golan Heights and engaged the Syrian army on the northern front. His final military position was the command of the IDF's Northern Command, which he held from 1986 to 1991, with the rank of Major General.
Peled holds a B.A. in General History from Tel Aviv University. He has served as Chairman of the Second Radio and Television Authority and as chairman and director of several public companies. He joined the Likud party in 1996 and was elected to the 18th Knesset in February 2009.
Yossi Peled was appointed Minister in March 2009 and served until March 2013.
He is divorced and the father of two children.
Sources: Israel Ministry of Foreign Affairs