(JNS) Turkey’s efforts to reconcile with Israel will not lessen Ankara’s support for the Palestinian cause, stated Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan on Tuesday.

“The steps taken in our relations with Israel will in no way reduce our support for the Palestinian cause,” he said, reported the AP. “On the contrary, our Palestinian brothers also express that these steps will contribute to a solution to the Palestinian issue and improve the situation of the Palestinian people.”

Erdoğan made the remarks while Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas was in Ankara. He arrived one week after Turkey and Israel declared the restoration of full diplomatic relations.

“We know that Turkey and its institutions stand by the Palestinian people and the Palestinian state in every field, and support them in the international arena,” said Abbas, according to the report.

Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoşlu said earlier on Tuesday that “dialogue [with Israel] will allow us to better defend the Palestinians.”