US: Ta-Nehisi Coates defends pro-Palestine stance in 'aggressive' CBS interview

American writer and activist Ta-Nehisi Coates has been praised for defending his pro-Palestine position in the latest round of interviews with prominent US media.

Coates faced what many said was an "aggressive" and "hostile" interview with US journalist Tony Dokoupil, who had accused the renowned American author of using his latest book, The Message', to call for the dismantling of Israel.

Coates and Dokoupil spent almost seven minutes debating the book during his interview on the American morning show 'CBS Mornings' on Monday.

Coates was praised for asserting his concerns over the Israeli occupation and the discrimination of the Palestinian people while also noting the lack of Palestinian voices in American media.

"Israel does exist, it's a fact, the question of its right is not a question that I would be faced with any other country," Coates said.

"No country in this world establishes its ability to exist through rights, countries establish their ability to exist through force, as America did."

When asked why Coates was supposedly offended by "the existence of a Jewish state", the author responsded: "There's nothing that offends me about a Jewish state. I am offended by the idea of states built on ethnocracy, no matter where they are."

Users online comment on Dokoupil's questioning while praising Coates for how he handled it.

Journalist Abdallah Fayyad described Dokoupil's questions as "incredibly hostile, combative, and rude" toward Coates and "cartoonishly racist, blaming Palestinians for their own oppression".

"He called Professor Coates, one of the most celebrated & accomplished thinkers of our time, an "extremist," because his book dares to centre Palestinian humanity. A masterclass reply from Coates," said one user on X.

"Coates shows remarkable composure, patience and moral clarity under a hostile and willfully ignorant line of questioning here. an example to us all," said another user.

"CBS interviewer Tony Dokoupil is outrageous. Either dishonest or ignorant in suggesting Ta-Nehisi Coates is an "extremist" based on his indictment of Israeli policies toward the Palestinians," said another.

Viewers also noted the stark difference between Coates' interview with CBS and his interview with Jon Stewart on 'The Daily Show'.

Stewart, who is Jewish and has been vocal on Palestinian rights, praised Coates for trying to advance and delve into the occupation and "understanding of complexity that we haven't figured out in 10,000 years".

Coates and Stewart spoke about the author's experience in Palestine and Israel and the comparisons of the Jim Crow laws and what is happening "right now" in the region.

Both also spoke about understanding the fears and the humiliation of the Holocaust and the idea of "never again" and never wanting to be in that position again.

"You hope to think of that as 'never again for anyone', and that's the part that feels the worst when you look at it in that way," Stewart said, also noting how he has known about the occupation "forever" and has friends in Palestine and Israel who suffer through it.

"It [The Message] will not measure up to the burdens of what I saw Palestinians on the West Bank bearing. It's not even close."

Viewers are praising Coates over his interview, with one saying, "Thanks for not being CBS," on YouTube.

"Had to come watch this interview to cleanse my palette after watching that monstrosity of an interview with Coates on CBS," said another.

"So interesting and informative to hear an African American and a Jewish American converse so openly and intelligently about their cultures and our current reality. Great interview," said another.