JERUSALEM, Sept. 9 (Xinhuanet) -- In one of their initial comments on the recent nomination of Ahmed Qurei as the new Palestinian prime minister, Israeli officials insisted that the Palestinian parliament speaker must prove himself by actions, The Jerusalem Post reported Tuesday.

　　Senior Israeli officials, en route to India with Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, told the newspaper that the replacement of Mahmoud Abbas with Qurei is little more than "musical chairs" with Yasser Arafat in charge of turning on and off the music.

　　If Qurie, tabbed by Arafat to form the next Palestinian government, dismantles the terror infrastructure, collects illegal arms, and makes arrests, he will be a partner, a senior official in Sharon's entourage said.

　　But "since he is an Arafat appointment, the chances are highly unlikely," the Israeli official said.

    "He will have to prove himself before we talk to him, the onus of proof is on him."   According to the newspaper, the changes in Palestinian leadership are expected to be among the issues Sharon will discuss with Indian leaders later Tuesday.

　　Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom told Israel Radio on Monday that Qurei will be "judged by his actions," signaling aclear backtracking from earlier statements made by Israeli government spokesmen that Israel would not deal with any new Palestinian government appointed by Arafat.

　　"We need to see whether or not Qurei makes a strategic decision to fight terrorism and choose the path of peace," the radio quoted Shalom as saying. Enditem