TEL AVIV, Israel – The Obama administration has decided to base its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict on an Arab “peace” initiative, according to a source in Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government.

Defenders of Israel warn the so-called “Arab Peace Initiative” in its full form would leave the Jewish state with truncated, difficult-to-defend borders and could threaten Israel’s Jewish character by compelling it to accept millions of foreign Arabs.

Earlier today, Netanyahu held a meeting with Obama’s envoy to the Middle East, George Mitchell, to outline the prime minister’s approach to Syria and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

Netanyahu reportedly told Mitchell he would condition future talks with the Palestinians on Palestinian leaders’ first recognizing Israel as a Jewish state, a step that would be difficult should Hamas join a unity government.

The Israeli Ynetnews website quoted Netanyahu telling Mitchell of fears that any Israeli withdrawal from strategic territory would leave a terrorist hornet’s nest in its wake…