Writer and journalist Ta-Nehisi Coates says 'not worried' about career after book on Palestine

American journalist and activist Ta-Nehisi Coates says he is "not worried" about his career after publishing a book denouncing Israel's occupation of Palestine.

His latest book, 'The Message', features three essays exploring conflict in Senegal, Columbia, and Palestine - the latter being the book's longest section.

Coates says he saw the "devastating clarity" of how the narrative behind the occupation was misleading.

When asked about how his career, invitations from the White House and former colleagues might be affected, speaking to New York Magazine, Coates said: "I have to do what I have to do. I'm sad, but I was so enraged."

"If I went over there and saw what I saw and didn't write it, I am fucking worthless."

"Does industrialised genocide entitle one to a state? No," especially at the expense of those who had no hand in the genocide.

On his travels to Palestine, Coates reveals he saw parallels between the occupation and the racist Jim Crow Laws that plagued the United States until the 1960s. From the walls and checkpoints to the tiers of citizenship between the "first-class Jews" and the "second-class Palestinians".

While the journalist knew that Palestine was under occupation, he was always told by journalists he trusted that the issue was "complicated" – a term he now describes as "horseshit".

He also noted the "betrayal" he felt from his media colleagues on the way the occupation was reported.

Western media has faced backlash over its reporting of Israel's war on Gaza, often focusing on the Hamas attack as opposed to Israel's onslaught.

The journalist and writer was vocal about Israel's occupation of Palestine, talking about his time in the enclave and Israel's current onslaught.

He has been praised for his online interview with the American magazine.

"Ta-nehisi coates being willing to burn through all his political goodwill for the just and righteous cause of Palestinian dignity is one of the more morally courageous acts from a public figure I can recall in my life. so rare to see true heroism. so beautiful," said one user on X.

"It's incredibly rare for a figure like him to realise his complicity and deliberately turn against it. Props to him," said another user.

Journalist Rania Khalek also reacted to the piece after Coates recalled her yelling about Palestine at an event at a synagogue for one of his articles, causing him to delve into Palestine.

"Wow, it turns out I played a role in pushing Ta-Nehisi Coates to look more deeply into Palestine," Khalek wrote.

"If anyone reading this knows Ta-Nehisi, please tell him thank you for listening and for his willingness to learn and speak out," she added.

Coates is best known for his article "The Case for Reparations", which was published in The Atlantic in 2014. In it, he focused on redlining and housing discrimination and how they affected the African-American community.

He has since written the New York Times bestselling book Between the World and Me, which explores America's racial history and its "contemporary echoes."