Tense moment CBS host calls author Ta-Nehisi Coates an ‘extremist’ during on-air interview: ‘Do you not think Israel has a right to exist?’

CBS Mornings co-host Tony Dokoupil accused author Ta-Nehisi Coates of being an ‘extremist’ during a tense on-air interview.

Coates appeared on Monday’s program to discuss his new book ‘The Message’ – a collection of essays during which he details a visit to Palestine. Coates’ memoir, Between the World and Me, was banned in some South Carolina schools after white students complained that it made them ‘ashamed’ of their race.

Among anecdotes of Coates’ visits to Africa, The Message shares the voices of Palestinians on the West Bank.   

Dokoupil – whose two children and ex-wife live in Israel – was quick to criticize the author for not including an Israeli perspective in his work claiming it delegitimizes the pillars of the country.

‘The content of that section would not be out of place in the backpack of an extremist,’ Dokoupil said.

‘Why leave out that Israel is surrounded by countries that want to eliminate it? Why leave out that Israel deals with terror groups that want to eliminate it?

Coates defended his book saying it is his goal to give a voice to the voiceless

‘Is it because you just don’t believe that Israel in any condition has a right to exist?’

Coates defended his book saying it is his goal to give a voice to the voiceless and there is already enough pro-Israel perspective in mainstream media.

‘I would say the perspective that you just outlined, there is no shortage of that perspective in American media,’ he said.

‘The reporters of those who believe most sympathetically about Israel and it’s right to exist don’t have a problem getting their voice out. 

‘But what I saw in Palestine, what I saw in the West Bank, what I saw in Haifa in Israel, what I saw in the South Hebron Hills, those were the stories that I have not heard and those were the stories that I was most occupied with.’

Dokopuil doubled down claiming people who read ‘The Message’ will finish it believing Israel is a horrible place that should not exist. 

Dokopuil said Coates new book will leave readers thinking that Israel is a horrible place

Dokoupil – whose two children and ex-wife live in Israel – was quick to criticize the author

Coates appeared on CBS Mornings to discuss his new book ‘The Message’ – a collection of essays including one on his visit to Palestine

Gayle King attempted to smooth the conversation over by giving Coates 20 seconds before the end of the segment to simply talk about the message of his book

‘What I struggled with throughout this book, what is it that so particularly offends you about the existence of a Jewish state that is a Jewish safe place and not any of the other states out there,’ he said.

‘If Israel has a right to exist, and if your answer is no, then I guess the question becomes why do the Palestinians have a right to exist? Why do 20 different Muslim countries have a right to exist?’

Coates fired back: ‘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. I would not want a state where any group of people lay down their citizenship rights based on ethnicity.’

‘Either apartheid is right or it’s wrong. It’s really, really simple. Either what I saw was right or it’s wrong. I am against a state that discriminates against people on the base of ethnicity. I’m against that. There is nothing the Palestinians could do that would make that okay for me.’

Gayle King attempted to smooth the conversation over by giving Coates 20 seconds before the end of the segment to simply talk about the message of his book.

Viewers were quick to slam Dokopuil for his line of questioning and accuse him of being racist.

‘The questions that one host asks are incredibly hostile, combative, and rude,’ one person said.

‘They’re also cartoonishly racist, blaming Palestinians for their own oppression.;

Another person said, ‘You will never see a more insanely confrontational interview on a network morning show than this one. Ivanka Trump received a warmer reception on this same show.’

‘The interviewer is an obvious racist, and was not hiding it here. But Coates had a powerful, clear response. Nothing justifies racism,’ said a third person.

Others commended Dokopuil for asking the difficult questions.

‘Thank you Tony for using your journalist “chops” to question and point out the missing pieces,’ one person said.