'Israel Has Become A Pariah State' — Kenneth Roth

Join host Ahmed Eldin on Out Loud as he sits down with Kenneth Roth, the former executive director of Human Rights Watch, for an unflinching, in-depth conversation on Gaza, US policy, Trump, and the struggle for accountability amid a growing consensus of genocide.

In this episode, Roth reflects on the formative experiences that shaped his passion for justice, the ethical dilemmas faced by rights advocates, and the practical roadblocks to shifting global public conscience and policy.

Key questions explored include:

a) Can Trump be pushed to do the right thing on Gaza—and does his motivation matter if there’s progress?

b) Why have some Gulf states started to see Israel as a greater threat than Iran?

c) Is Israel now a pariah on the world stage, and what leverage remains to stop atrocities in Gaza?

d) How does personal history—like families fleeing Nazi Germany or Palestine—shape views on present conflicts?

e) What factors fuel the disconnect between public will and government action in Germany, the US, and beyond when it comes to arms and policy?

f) What happens when elite institutions in the West, such as Harvard or Columbia, suppress critical debate on Palestine?

g) Does the International Criminal Court have the power or leadership to achieve real accountability, especially with US hostility?

h) How can hope persist for Gaza’s civilians in the face of slow-moving international responses, relentless violence, and severe media suppression?

Ahmed and Kenneth Roth unpack the importance of building collective resistance, strategies for creating real policy shifts, tools to increase the cost of complicity, and why the conversations we have with friends, family, and colleagues matter in shaping a moral response to international crises.