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For more than three decades, the illusion of a two-state solution under the auspices of the Oslo Accords has allowed Israel to maintain a one-state reality of permanent occupation and apartheid.
Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man and Sarah Leah Whitson challenge this approach, presenting a road map to end these crimes and create a rights-respecting regime for everyone now living under Israeli control. Only once basic safety and legal equality are assured can Jewish Israelis and Palestinians determine their futures—in one, two, or more states if they choose—through an inclusive, democratic process. Breaking with the failures of the past, the plan presented here makes clear that ongoing violations of basic human rights must be ended before issues of governance can be equitably addressed.
Clear-eyed yet hopeful, Omer-Man and Whitson offer proof of concept that democracy and equality are indeed attainable—and call on the international community to create the conditions required for them to flourish.
“Published just days before the ceasefire deal was reached, the book describes in granular detail the conditions for dismantling apartheid in Israel-Palestine.”
— Guardian
“In their new book, Dawn's Sarah Leah Whitson and Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man lay out a blueprint to end the occupation and transform an undemocratic one-state reality into a democratic one.”
— Zeteo
“This is no mere flight of fancy . . . Thinking about how this might all end realistically strikes a rare note of hope not found elsewhere in recent literature on Palestine. It starts from material reality, rather than outrage and indignity against Israeli crimes. If, one day, Israel comes to its senses, a Blueprint is ready to guide the transition.”
— Morning Star
"It is refreshing and warranted for the authors to passionately remind their colleagues and world leaders not to be bystanders of history. Forward-thinking, detailed plans that dare to bypass the ingrained myopia and seek to manifest a better reality are probably the best hope for Palestinians and Israelis."
— Washington Report on Middle East Affairs
"[The Blueprint] rightly rearranges the international community’s responsibilities to end Israel’s crimes first, then address national status issues. Progress is at the intersection of preparation and opportunity – with this Blueprint, we are now prepared."
— Bidil
“As Omer-Man and Whitson themselves concede, it will require considerable international pressure, particularly on Israel, to elicit the kinds of concessions they advocate. Their proposals for security sector reform seem implausibly ambitious, but they defend these suggestions with a bracing mix of optimism and sobriety—and they reject the notion that the only options are to prolong failure or await tragedy.”
— Foreign Affairs
Sarah Leah Whitson is Executive Director of DAWN and former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa Division.
Preface
Introduction and FAQs
Part I
Chapter 1. International Law Framework
Chapter 2. When Will the Blueprint Be Relevant?
Chapter 3. The Day After the Blueprint
Chapter 4. The Challenge of Security, Violence, and Instability
Part II. The Blueprint
Section 1. Establish a Caretaker Government
Section 2. End Military Rule and Revoke Emergency Laws
Section 3. Restore Freedom of Movement
Section 4. The Courts
Section 5. Revoke Racist, Discriminatory Laws
Section 6. Citizenship and Voting Rights
Section 7. Security Forces and Disarmament
Section 8. Restorative Justice, Prisoners, and Refugees
Section 9. Elections and the Culmination of the Blueprint
Acknowledgments
Appendix A. Guiding Principles for the Transition
Appendix B. Laws That Should Be Immediately Revoked or Amended
Appendix C. Timeline for Implementation
Appendix D. Mapping Existing Security Forces
Appendix E. Committees and Commissions
Glossary of Terms
Notes
Bibliography
Index