Ta-Nehisi Coates on Israel: ‘I Felt Lied To.’

In his new book of essays, “ The Message ,” Ta-Nehisi Coates writes about a trip he took to Israel and the West Bank in May 2023. “I felt lied to,” he told me. “I felt lied to by my craft. I felt lied to by major media organizations.” Coates’s essay is a searing portrait of Palestinian life under Israeli rule. It has also been criticized for leaving much out: Hamas is never mentioned. Nor is Oct. 7. Nor are any of the peace processes. So I asked him on the show to discuss what he saw when he was there and what he chose to leave outside the frame. Mentioned: “ The Case for Reparations ” by Ta-Nehisi Coates The Necessity of Exile by Shaul Magid The Virtue of Nationalism by Yoram Hazony “ US media talks a lot about Palestinians — just without Palestinians ” by Maha Nassar Book Recommendations: Justice for Some by Noura Erakat Our American Israel by Amy Kaplan The Unspoken Alliance by Sasha Polakow-Suransky Thoughts? Guest suggestions? Email us at ezrakleinshow@nytimes.com. You can find transcripts (posted midday) and more episodes of “The Ezra Klein Show” at nytimes.com/ezra-klein-podcast . Book recommendations from all our guests are listed at https://www.nytimes.com/article/ezra-kle…