Allowing the UN’s administrative process to slow down a Palestinian application to the Security Council would give diplomats time to look for an alternative that restarts peace talks. The U.S. is using the time to lean on council members to abstain from voting in favor of the Palestinians, who are fighting to retain supporters.

“We will give some time to the Security Council to consider first our full membership request before heading to the General Assembly,” Palestinian negotiator Nabil Shaath told reporters today. “ If we fail, we will keep knocking on the door. We do not have a time limit.”

Once a membership application has been lodged, the Security Council can either act fast or hold things up. In the case of South Sudan it took three days to make the African country the UN’s 193rd member while in the case of Jordan it took five years. In the case of the Palestinians, an admissions committee representing all 15 Security Council members can be set up to deliberate on the matter for days, weeks, or even months.