Ta-Nehisi Coates Has a Question for Israelis: 'Can You Ever Truly Be Safe Through Guns?'
In his first interview with an Israeli newspaper about his contentious new book 'The Message,' Ta-Nehisi Coates explains why he's 'probably less enamored' of Palestinian violence than a 'lot of other people,' that Muslims will not be to blame if Trump returns to the White House, and calls out Israel's 'immoral' demand of America: 'Give me the bombs and shut the fuck up'
Ben Samuels
Washington
Ben Samuels
Washington
WASHINGTON – Ta-Nehisi Coates is among the most respected intellectuals of our time, frequently invoked as the 21st century's premier intellectual on race and civil rights.
News you can trust from the heart of the conflictNews you can trust from the heart of the conflict
Subscribe to Haaretz todaySubscribe to Haaretz today
SUBSCRIBESUBSCRIBEor
Continue reading this article for free
Register with your e-mail addressWe will send you a daily email with articles you actually want to read. By signing up, you agree to Haaretz’s terms and conditions
Comments
SUBSCRIBERS JOIN THE CONVERSATION FIRST
Fast track approval of subscriber comments.
SUBSCRIBEAlready signed up? LOG IN
Sort comment by
23
Common Sense
00:21
Let me answer his question with a question (as per Jewish tradition): Do we have another alternative for survival???
22
LizF
00:08
Re: Mendelovic comment: Israel's rescue of the Ethiopian Jewish community is one of its most glorious episodes. How utterly patronizing. Belongs with "Some of my best friends are Jewish".Does Mr. Mendelovic ever probe how those Ethiopian Jews were treated once they got to Israel? Does he ever ask why when Ethipians donated blood during various blood drives, their blood was tossed into the trash because of the color of their skin. Does he ask why legions of infants were taken from their "inferior" Yemenite families and given up for adoption to "superior" Ashkenazy families? Unless a nation faces up to the racism in its past it has no chance of eliminating it in its future.
21
FFB
22:46
When people in Israel start being open to hearing the true facts of this conflict (tragedy) and stop viewing themselves as victims,,, at that point we may have a chance on achieving and living peace. But i am not holding my breath
Reply to comment
Both things can be true
23:58FFB
You can be a victim and still be in the wrong.
And that applies to both sides. Yes, even the one you prefer (whichever one that is).
20
Itzik
22:43
Does Coates ask the same question of Hamas? Hezbollah? Houthis? Iran?
Thought not.
19
Wonderful article
22:05
I am a fan. People talk of the 100 year complexity of the conflict. But no violent, tree-burning, well poisoning settler is arguing about the subtleties of the conflict. And back by a government that backs them. He is right: it really is that simple.
18
Jacob Mendlovic, Toronto
21:50
Coates should look in his own backyard. In every big city in the U.S., Blacks are hugely disproportionately perpetrators of violent crime, especially murders.
Why is he targeting Jews when avoiding what's happening to his own people? Detroit, before 1967, was a beautiful city, before Blacks burned and destroyed it. Here in Toronto, despite the relatively small Black population, they are again hugely disproportionately committing the murders. Why isn't Coates ''the Black intellectual'' writing books about a dysfunctional segment of Black society instead of vilifying Israel?
Before some creeps call me hostile to Blacks, let me say the ingathering of Ethiopian Jews to Israel is one of the highlights of Zionism.
Reply to comment
TB
22:36Jacob Mendlovic, Toronto
From Toronto we get ignorance. You paint the systemic affects, but not the cause. This entire article is representing precisely what you just stated - the ignorance of causation and inability of those to get their voices out. He has written about it "Race and Struggle"
17
The one thing Coates missed
21:37
The PA has rejected three peace plans that would have established a Palestinian state along the 1967 borders (in 2001, 2008 and 2014). If he uses the word apartheid to depict the occupation, it could have ended a long time ago. If apartheid means Israel's very existence, he should be clear about this. Then one question arises: what were Jews supposed to do to protect themselves if Zionism was so wrong? I've never heard anti-Zionists giving a convincing explanation. Probably because there is none…
Reply to comment
The thing that drives me nuts
22:21The one thing Coates missed
Are we talking about the occupied territories, or Israel?
Re apartheid. I thought at first that for a policy to be designated "apartheid" it had to take place within the country as a whole, and not be confined to an occupied territory. But the UN definition doesn't say that. So for the West Bank, okay, that's apartheid and it's illegal and it's wrong. Boo.
But for Israel proper, outside of the occupied territories? Where are the segregated hospitals, schools, universities you expect to see under apartheid? How is there a Palestinian party in the Knesset? Discrimination, maybe racism, okay, fine, it's there. But apartheid? Where?
As for "open air prison" okay, I'd have to say Yes, because a prison is anywhere you can't leave if you want to. But dude, have you seen Ramallah? Have you watched videos of walking tours through pre-war Gaza? That's not San Quentin.
I think this might be what people mean when they say "it's complicated."
16
Aurangzeb Iqbal
21:26
The Zionists have created a hell on earth for the Palestinians in the Holy Land. Thankfully history has shown time and time again that evil never triumphs. Palestine will be free, Insha'Allah.
15
It isn't really that complicated
21:20
But it is two-sided. And if you're trying to choose sides, that fact alone makes it "complicated." It seems that Coates recognizes that. Not many people do. Good for him.
Regarding Palestinian voices: Very much Yes.
Some of us have been noticing that, from the Ottoman Empire through the British Mandate through the 1948 Arabian attacks and the Nakba through the Intifadas through ten minutes ago… the one thing nobody ever does is go to the ordinary Palestinian people and ask them what *they* want.
I've seen interviews of older Palestinians who remember it saying, "They never asked us. We didn't ask for it, we had no say."
Time to start asking. And listening.
Reply to comment
David S
22:47It isn't really that complicated
So, did Hamas ask the Palestinians what they really want, or has it been prescribed for them The one main elephant in the room that is left out is Hamas, who perpetrated the KILLING of innocent civilians attending a music fest and HOSTAGE TAKING, on October 7 and is still today hiding out in tunnels, absconding food meant for civilians, using civilians as shields and not caring about the deaths of those they supposedly protect. No, Coates does not see this conflict from a middle Israeli view, but subscribes either a far left or far right view.
The sad fact is that the War is between those that would kill Israelis at will, drive them into the sea, establish Palestine in Israel, and those that will never allow it, with everyone else caught in the middle. Nothing will change that fact until one side backs off, and that won't be Israel, nor should it be "morality" aside.
The Palestinian interviewees
23:51It isn't really that complicated
mentioned above weren't referring to the occupation or the Nakba (although of course they probably weren't exactly thrilled about either). They were referring to the 1948 attacks by Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, and Egypt. Granted there were Palestinian fighters in the Arab Liberation Army in the 40s, but the old people I saw interviewed gave me the distinct impression that at the time, they just wanted to get on with their lives, and were already thoroughly fed up with the whole business.
Michal
00:40It isn't really that complicated
When Hamas, Hezbollah, and their fellow travelers allow "ordinary Palestinians" (whatever that means) to tell us what they want without getting murdered, they'll tell us.
14
Starman0421
21:16
Coates is right that the voices of Palestinians are mostly not heard here. Not allowing a Palestinian to speak at the DNC was a mistake.
However there's a huge difference between Gaza and the Jim Crow south. Palestinians have rejected their own state multiple times since 1947. In addition, they have engaged in terrorism against Israel for decades. Neither of these things apply to Blacks in the south.
Israel needs to change, as do Palestinians, if there is to be peace.
Reply to comment
David S.
22:56Starman0421
The DNC was correct. Can you imagine what extreme Pro-Palestinian rhetoric would have done to the Convention decorum and the Campaign. that's not what Conventions are for. Certianly, the R's kept any controversy out of theirs and I don't remember seeing a Por-Palestinian speaker even considered there.
Decorum
00:09Starman0421
can be maintained by keeping quiet, listening respectfully no matter what screaming or ranting takes place, and refusing to be baited.
(It also drives 'em crazy! But that's just a bonus.)
Not only can you maintain dignity and order this way, but who knows? You might hear something worth listening to.
Michal
00:43Starman0421
Not sure where you live, but Palestinian voices certainly made themselves heard in New England.
