World Briefs

Mariane Pearl Gives Birth to Son

Adam D. Pearl, the son of slain journalist Daniel Pearl and his wife Mariane, was born May 28 in Paris, the family has announced.

In a statement, the family reported that Adam weighed 5.7 pounds and that his birth "rekindles the joy, love and humanity that Danny radiated wherever he went.

"The name ‘Adam’," the family continued, "symbolizes the birth of humankind and the connectedness of civilizations. Danny also liked the name ‘Adam’ because it reminded him of President John Quincy Adams, whose ideas on freedom and peace were far ahead of his time."

Daniel Pearl was abducted Jan. 23 in Pakistan, and then brutally killed, while working for the Wall Street Journal on a story about Islamic extremists.

The family statement included two lines that Daniel Pearl had composed to help a pregnant friend deliver her overdue baby:

"Come out, come out, the world is not such a bad place,

Come out, come out, there’s someone smiling upon you."

The family thanked "all of you, who have waited so eagerly for our new arrival. And we thank you for standing by us."

During a March memorial service in Los Angeles, Mariane Pearl said, "I have made a commitment that Danny will live through me and my son….They may have blown out a candle, but the light is still on."

A photo of Adam and his mother can be viewed at the Daniel Pearl Foundation Web site, www.danielpearl.org.

— Tom Tugend, Contributing Editor

Sharon Approves Fence

Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon approved the construction of a fence between Israel and the West Bank. The fence, which will cover about one-third of the unmarked border, will run about 75 miles, from northeast of Tel Aviv to southeast of Haifa, according to the Associated Press. It will be built in an area where Israel is at its narrowest.

Ayalon Named Ambassador

Danny Ayalon was named Israel’s ambassador to the United States. Ayalon, 47, previously served as foreign policy adviser to Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, and also has advised former prime ministers Ehud Barak and Benjamin Netanyahu. Ayalon replaces David Ivry, who left Washington more than a month ago.

Poll: Israeli Youths Know Victims of Terrorism

More than one-third of Israeli youths know someone killed or wounded in recent Palestinian terrorist attacks, according to a poll. The study on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict’s impact on youths found that 56 percent go less often to public places.

Group Downplays FBI Warning

The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations downplayed an FBI warning to Jewish groups. The FBI recently notified Jewish organizations that U.S. troops in Afghanistan uncovered Al-Qaeda documents listing 12 Jewish groups, sparking concerns they could be possible targets. But the executive vice chairman of the Conference of Presidents, Malcolm Hoenlein, told JTA he does not think there is a serious threat. While Jewish organizations should remain on alert, he said, the documents were outdated and contained no indication of any specific danger.

Jenin Allegations Challenged

U.S. Jewish leaders gave U.N. Secretary-General Kofi Annan a report countering allegations that Israel committed war crimes during its operation in the Jenin refugee camp. The 150-page report, submitted to Annan by the Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations, includes scores of accounts by doctors, soldiers and others who witnessed firsthand the Israeli operation in the camp.

In a related development, the Anti-Defamation League issued a report that details how international organizations, nongovernmental agencies, foreign governments and the media prematurely attacked Israel for committing atrocities in the refugee camp in April.

Briefs by Jewish Telegraphic Agency.