Behind the bold decision by Palestinian leaders to press for full membership in the United Nations – with its risk of a U.S. veto in the Security Council – is the Palestinians’ calculation of another risk: All the Obama administration stands to lose by conspicuously denying the aspirations of a moderate, democratic national liberation movement in a Middle East newly obsessed with dignity and already slipping from American influence.

“I don’t think they will dare to make things look that bad after these Arab revolutions,” says Nabil Abu Rudeineh, a senior advisor to Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Speaking with TIME before boarding the flight to the New York, Abu Rudeineh on Saturday describes a Palestinian delegation comfortable in its decision to push for full membership, but still willing to at leaset hear offers. “I’m expecting there will be probable movement through the Americans and Europeans and Quartet during our stay,” he says.