Jerusalem ? Israel will not negotiate with a new government hand-picked by Yasser Arafat, its foreign minister said Sunday — the first public warning to those trying to topple beleaguered Palestinian Prime Minister Mahmoud Abbas.

A power struggle between Arafat and Abbas has intensified in recent days, with clashes over key appointments and control of security forces.

Several Palestinian legislators, including Arafat allies, are lobbying to oust Abbas later this week after he presents the achievements of his first 100 days in office to Parliament. It remains unclear whether the session will be followed by a vote of confidence.

Israeli Foreign Minister Silvan Shalom suggested Sunday that an already troubled U.S.-backed peace plan, the “road map,” would be derailed if Abbas is ousted.

“Israel will not negotiate with a new government formed under the instructions and the influence of Arafat,” Shalom said after a meeting with EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana in Tel Aviv.

Arafat reluctantly appointed Abbas as the Palestinians’ first prime minister in April under pressure from Israel and the United States, which have accused Arafat of blocking peace efforts.

Parliament Speaker Ahmed Qureia, considered a possible Abbas replacement, said Sunday that the infighting is harming Palestinian interests. Outside support for Abbas, including from Israel and the United States, “is complicating the crisis,” he cautioned.

Abbas has minimal support among Palestinians, many of whom say they distrust him because he has Israel’s backing. And while Arafat also has lost popularity after failing to deliver on promises of statehood, the 74-year-old remains a symbol of hoped-for independence.

A Palestinian Parliament meeting scheduled for today was pushed back to Thursday, to allow Abbas to garner support.

Lawmaker Qadoura Fares, a member of Arafat’s Fatah movement, said he and others plan to present a possible compromise that would increase Arafat’s influence but keep Abbas in power. “Arafat should support the decisions of the government and should be consulted on the basic issues,” Fares said. Arafat also would head a new five-member national security council.

The United States and Israel have warned that ousting Abbas would hurt peace efforts. Both have urged Arafat to give Abbas full control of security forces for a crackdown on militants, but Arafat has resisted.

Palestinian bride Nisreen Halaweh walks with her relatives who helped to cross a dirt barricade erected by Israeli forces on her way at Surda junction in the outskirts of the West Bank town of Ramallah. The Israeli army closed the main entrances of Ramallah with dirt and cement blocks as part of security measures after a Palestinian suicide bomber blew up a bus packed with observant Jews returning from the Western Wall, killing 21 people.