The United Nations has proposed inviting Israel, the Palestinians and Arab states to a meeting to try to revive peace talks as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice shuttled between the sides on a visit today.
The intensified diplomacy comes ahead of an Arab summit expected to relaunch a Saudi-backed peace plan calling for Israel to quit all occupied Arab lands in exchange for peace.
Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert said he would "not hesitate to participate" if invited to an expanded meeting of the Quartet of Middle East mediators that could also include Saudi Arabia.
A public meeting that brings Israeli and Saudi officials together would be a breakthrough. The countries do not have formal relations, though there have been reports of informal Saudi contacts with Mr Olmert.
US officials said the idea was only one of several being considered and no decisions had been made.
"The only decision that has been made by the Quartet is that we will meet at some point in the region. Precisely what geometry we might use has not really been decided or really fully considered by the Quartet or by other parties," Ms Rice told reporters before meeting Israeli Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni.
The Quartet is made up of the United Nations, the United States, the European Union and Russia.
During a brief visit to Amman, Ms Rice met for a second time in 24 hours with Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, and held talks with Jordan's King Abdullah.
She later returned to Jerusalem for a second round of talks with Mr Olmert.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, also on a visit to the region, said that Israeli and Palestinian leaders, along with officials from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, could be invited to attend the next Quartet meeting, expected to take place in Egypt.
"It is a very interesting, useful idea to consider. But we need more consultations," Mr Ban said.
At a press conference in Jerusalem with Mr Ban, Mr Olmert said he would continue his contacts with Mr Abbas and said a long-stalled "road map" peace plan "will be the basis for advancement here between us and the Palestinians."
Neither the Israelis nor the Palestinians have fulfilled their commitments under the road map, which calls for Israel to halt settlement building in the occupied West Bank and the Palestinians to dismantle militant groups.
The 2002 plan touted by Rice, known as the Saudi initiative, offers Israel normal ties with Arab countries in return for full withdrawal from land it occupied in the 1967 Middle East war. Mr Olmert urged Arab states to advance the proposal but Israel has said it cannot accept some of its terms.