Jerusalem ? Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice embarked Saturday on a new push for Israeli-Palestinian peace but set modest goals for herself, saying she was coming without a particular plan but instead wanted to gather ideas from Israelis, Palestinians and key Arab figures in the region.

“If you don’t lay the groundwork very well, then it’s not going to succeed,” Rice told reporters. “And I think no plan can be made in America.”

Broadly speaking, Rice appears to be seeking to lower the temperature of a region shaken by the turmoil in Iraq and last summer’s war between Israel and Hezbollah. Aides said she wants to use the Israeli-Palestinian issue as a vehicle to dampen historic animosities and perhaps build a common front against the rising threat of Iran.

U.S. officials have encouraged Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert to say positive words about a long-dormant Saudi peace plan and also meetings between Olmert and Palestinian and Egyptian leaders. The sessions are part of an effort to strengthen ties between what Rice calls “mainstream” forces in order to counter extremism. Rice has taken particular interest in the 2002 Saudi peace plan, which held out the prospect of recognition of Israel and thus stands in stark contrast to the vows of Iran and Hamas to eliminate the Jewish state.

Rice is encouraging Israel to take steps to bolster beleaguered Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas, such as lifting roadblocks and freeing Palestinian prisoners.