“My life will never be the same”: Ta-Nehisi Coates on witnessing apartheid in Palestine

In this episode of UpFront, author Ta-Nehisi Coates talks about his new book, “The Message,” which explores his experiences in Senegal, South Carolina, Israel, and the occupied West Bank. Coates explains that seeing the oppression of Palestinians in occupied territories greatly influenced his life and perspective. He compares this oppression to systemic racism in the U.S. He reflects on his misunderstandings of Israel’s history. Marc Lamont Hill discusses how the media contributes to the erasure of Palestinian narratives and highlights Ta-Nehisi Coates’ view that the Israeli-Palestinian conflict reflects historical injustices similar to apartheid and Jim Crow. Coates emphasizes the importance of confronting these difficult truths and the role of writing in advocating for justice and understanding.