UNITED NATIONS — The Palestinians said Friday their leaders will decide quickly whether to seek a vote in the Security Council on their bid for U.N. membership — even though they face certain defeat — or to pursue other U.N. options.

Riyad Mansour, the Palestinian U.N. observer, said the Palestinians will consult Arab leaders and supporters on their next steps after the council’s admissions committee approved a report saying there is no consensus among the 15 council nations on the membership application.

The admissions committee sent the report to the Security Council after a brief closed meeting Friday. Council president Jose Filipe Moraes Cabral of Portugal said members will examine it and discuss possible future actions, but he gave no timetable.

Council diplomats said they were waiting to see what action the Palestinians want to pursue.

The report said the council is divided among those who support Palestinian membership, those who can’t support it now and therefore would abstain, and those who believe the application doesn’t meet the criteria for membership and oppose it.

For Palestine to become a U.N. member state, it needs the recommendation of the Security Council. That requires nine “yes” votes — which the Palestinians don’t appear to have — and no veto by a permanent member.

The United States, Israel’s closest ally, insists on a negotiated settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict before Palestine joins the U.N. and says it will veto a resolution recommending its membership now, if necessary.

The admissions committee report gave no names or numbers but China, Russia, Brazil, India, South Africa and Lebanon have announced their support for Palestinian membership, and Nigeria and Gabon would likely also vote “yes.”

France, Britain, Colombia and Bosnia have announced they would abstain, and diplomats said Germany and Portugal will abstain or vote “no.”