A decisive break from the failed Oslo Accords and an innovative plan to create the foundations for peace and self-determination in Israel-Palestine.
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.
By:
Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man,
Sarah Leah Whitson
Imprint: University of California Press
Country of Publication: United States
Dimensions:
Height: 229mm,
Width: 152mm,
ISBN: 9780520402003
ISBN 10: 0520402006
Pages: 272
Publication Date: 30 September 2025
Audience:
Professional and scholarly
,
Undergraduate
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Active
Contents 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
Michael Schaeffer Omer-Man is Israel-Palestine Director at DAWN and former Editor in Chief of +972 Magazine. Sarah Leah Whitson is Executive Director of DAWN and former Executive Director of Human Rights Watch's Middle East and North Africa Division.
Reviews for From Apartheid to Democracy: A Blueprint for Peace in Israel-Palestine
“Published just days before the ceasefire deal was reached, the book describes in granular detail the conditions for dismantling apartheid in Israel-Palestine.” * Guardian *
