Barak Chides Clinton for Refugee Remarks

JERUSALEM — With days to go before he becomes Israel’s prime minister, Ehud Barak reproached President Clinton on Friday for saying that Palestinian refugees should be free to live wherever they like.

The criticism was a rare break in the silence Barak has imposed on policy statements since he defeated right-wing Premier Benjamin Netanyahu in May 17 elections.

“President Clinton’s stance on the matter of the right of return, as it might be understood from his remarks yesterday in Washington, is unacceptable to Barak,” said the Labor Party leader’s spokeswoman, Merav Parsi-Tzadok.

Israeli analysts said that Barak, who campaigned on a vow to revive peace moves frozen by Netanyahu, wanted to send a message to Clinton and Arab nations that he would be tough in negotiations.

At a news conference with Egypt’s President Hosni Mubarak on Thursday, Clinton had hailed Barak’s election as a chance to advance U.S.-mediated peace moves.

Asked if he would work to ensure the return of Palestinian refugees, Clinton said: “I would like it if the Palestinian people felt free and were free to live wherever they like, wherever they want to live.”

State Department spokesman James Foley later said there was no change in U.S. policy--that Israel and the Palestinians should decide the refugees’ fate in talks on this and other “permanent status” issues.

Also Friday, Barak promised the first Israeli-Palestinian summit in nearly seven months. Spokesmen for Barak and Palestinian Authority President Yasser Arafat said the two leaders agreed in a phone call to meet soon after Barak takes office.