Israel on Trial | Interview: Roy K. Altman

In this episode of The Remnant Podcast, host Jonah Goldberg interviews Judge Roy K. Altman, a U.S. District Judge for the Southern District of Florida and author of the book *Israel on Trial: Examining the History, the Evidence, and the Law*. Altman argues that the six most common accusations against Israel—genocide, apartheid, settler colonialism, land theft, false imprisonment, and occupation—are legally unfounded when examined through a rigorous, adversarial legal framework. Drawing on historical evidence, international law, and personal experiences from leading judicial delegations to Israel, Altman contends that the Jewish people have a continuous, indigenous presence in the land stretching back over 3,000 years, refuting the claim that Israel is a colonial project. He dismantles the genocide charge by highlighting Israel’s unprecedented civilian warning systems, massive evacuations, and adherence to the laws of war, even in urban combat. Altman also challenges the apartheid narrative by pointing to the full civil rights and political participation of Israel’s 2 million Arab Muslim citizens, and critiques the UN’s disproportionate focus on Israel compared to other human rights abusers. He concludes that Israel’s legitimacy is firmly grounded in both legal and historical criteria, and that recent geopolitical shifts—such as Gulf states aligning with Israel and Lebanon’s crackdown on Hezbollah—signal a transformative realignment in the Middle East. Goldberg affirms Altman’s core argument: while Israel is not perfect, it holds itself to a far higher standard than any other nation, and the global double standard in judging its actions is both unjust and unsustainable.