Minister Yossi Peled accompanied Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu to Germany, an emotional trip for the former IDF commander who is a Holocaust survivor.

Peled was given to a non-Jewish family as an infant, with his mother hoping he would survive. After the war, at the age of 8, he was reunited with his mother and together, they moved to Palestine. His father and most of their family were murdered by the Nazis.

Peled joined the IDF and rose to the rank of major-general, retiring as the commander of the Northern District.

During this visit, he did not attempt to hide his emotions, telling reporters that only death releases one from the memories of the horrors of the war. He added that he planned to tell German Chancellor Angele Merkel that for him, the visit provided closure, adding that accompanying the memories of the horrors is the awareness and appreciation for all Germany has done for the Jewish state and its security.

(Yechiel Spira – YWN Israel)