Public diplomacy, online influence, and the surge in antisemitism took center stage at a Jerusalem Post Miami Conference panel that brought together Abraham Accords advocate Loay Alshareef, influencer Sigi Flicker, US Justice Department Task Force to Combat Antisemitism head Leo Terrell, and philanthropist Natalie Hister Ostad in a discussion moderated by Jerusalem Post content strategist Inbal Ann Bouskila.
Terrell, a longtime civil rights attorney, argued that antisemitism should be framed as a national threat and a fight over civic norms. “This fight against anti-Semitism is not a Jewish issue. It’s an American issue,” he said, calling for a wider coalition beyond the Jewish community. Terrell also urged political engagement at the local level, saying much of the day-to-day problem plays out in schools, local prosecution decisions, and city leadership.
The Justice Department announced the creation of the multi-agency Task Force to Combat Antisemitism in February 2025, saying its first priority would focus on antisemitic harassment in schools and on college campuses.
Alshareef, introduced as an Abraham Accords advocate, credited US President Donald J. Trump with the agreements and warned that shifting geopolitics could test their durability. He also used the panel to deliver a message aimed at both Israeli and regional audiences, invoking Cyrus the Great and linking present-day strategy to historic narratives about Iran and the Jewish people.
Focusing on facts, knowledge, and the truth
When asked later about online disinformation, Alshareef said he focuses on “facts, knowledge, and the truth,” arguing that history and archaeology are persuasive tools for defending Israel among Arab and English-speaking audiences.
Flicker, an outspoken pro-Israel social media figure, pressed for blunt language about Islamist ideology and urged closer cooperation with Christian allies, describing that coalition as central to countering antisemitism and broader societal radicalization. Flicker has also served on the US Holocaust Memorial Council, following a series of high-profile appointments in 2025.
Ostad described producing a post-October 7 video as part of a broader effort to raise funds for victims and drive awareness internationally, saying the goal was to connect “facts” to “humanity” in a format that could travel quickly online. The Jerusalem Post previously reported on Ostad’s role in community fundraising initiatives tied to the war.
The session also included remarks from lawyer and activist Brooke Goldstein, who argued that impact litigation and grassroots mobilization are practical tools for protecting Jewish students and confronting anti-Zionist discrimination on campus. Goldstein cited a settlement involving Cooper Union and campus protest rules. Reuters reported on January 8, 2026, that Cooper Union agreed to reforms in an antisemitism-related case, including policy and training changes, as part of a settlement with Jewish students.
The panel closed with a call for a sharper, more organized public diplomacy effort that combines policy, platform strategy, and grassroots activism, with speakers repeatedly returning to the same challenge: influence moves at internet speed, while institutions move more slowly.