ON TUESDAY, President Shimon Peres celebrated his jubilee as an elected public servant. Peres had been engaged in essential service before that as director-general of the Defense Ministry, but on November 3, 1959, he was elected to the Knesset for the first time and was given the post of deputy defense minister. He served in every Knesset since then up until his election to the presidency nearly two-and-a-half years ago. Peres was publicly congratulated by Prisons Service Commissioner Benny Kaniak at a ceremony at Beit Hanassi honoring 10 outstanding Prisons Service personnel. Kaniak told Peres that he was congratulating him not only on a personal basis but for his contribution to the history and development of the nation.

n PRINT AND electronic media journalists were playing guessing games last week as to which invited dignitaries would give the Turkish national day reception a miss. Some reported on which government ministers would not be there, and even remarked on the fact that Peres, who attended last year, would not be attending this year. What most reporters did not realize is that the only national receptions that attract a large showing of government ministers and IDF top brass are American Independence Day, Bastille Day and Egyptian Revolution Day.

The prime minister generally gives preference to American Independence Day; the foreign minister, the defense minister and the finance minister seldom show up at national day receptions. Attendance is better than usual when a country with a diplomatic mission here is celebrating a milestone anniversary year, as for instance China, which this year celebrated its 60th anniversary; or is celebrating a special anniversary marking the period of time in which it has enjoyed bilateral relations with Israel.

Otherwise, ministers are on a roster to represent the government. Most of the time, the government representative is the only minister present. Sometimes there is no minister at all. Both the president and the prime minister accept the American invitation as does the chief of General Staff.

Peres, because of his special relationship with France, almost always attends Bastille Day receptions. Likewise former president Yitzhak Navon attends the national day receptions of Spain. Isaac Herzog, regardless of which ministerial portfolio he's holding at any given time, makes a point of attending the St. Patrick's Day reception hosted by the Irish ambassador. Similarly, Silvan Shalom, or his wife, or the two of them can always be seen at the reception hosted by the Italian ambassador - part of the reason being that they're neighbors, and the Italian reception is always held in the huge garden of the residence, thus getting there requires very little effort on the part of the Shaloms.

If a minister has recently paid an official visit to a particular country or is about to do so, then it's noblesse oblige to accept the invitation to the national day event.

Last Thursday morning, prior to hosting Turkey's national day reception, Turkey's new ambassador, Ahmet Oguz Celikkol, who has not yet presented his credentials, said at Bar-Ilan University's BESA Institute that he is committed to improving and deepening ties between the two countries. The BESA people were quick to get the news out on e-mail and radio, thereby ensuring that those invitees who were still undecided could go to the reception with a clear conscience.

Media coverage of the event was even more intense than that of the Fourth of July. Mobile television studios were parked bumper to bumper in Kfar Shmaryahu's Rehov Ha'oranim, and camera crews, still photographers and reporters were clustered at the entrance to the house long before the doors were opened.

Industry, Trade and Labor Minister Binyamin Ben-Eliezer and Minorities Minister Avishay Braverman were instantly surrounded by media, and unwittingly stole the show from the ambassador. Perhaps even more important than Ben-Eliezer or Braverman were the number of high ranking Foreign Ministry officials in attendance. Braverman has a long and happy relationship with Turkey dating back more than 20 years to the time that he was a senior official in the World Bank specializing in economic development and social justice. "Relations with Turkey are very important," Braverman told reporters, adding: "We have to do everything possible to strengthen relations. Israel can't afford to quarrel with the whole world."

Ben-Eliezer, who was besieged by reporters, told them much of what he later said in his official speech, the bottom line being that Israel has to look forward and ensure the continuity of her strategic interests in her relations with Turkey. "Turkey is important to us and we are important to Turkey," he said. "Today's cloud will pass quietly."

Ben-Eliezer, who is leading a large business delegation to Turkey this month, was asked whether he intended to discuss Iran during his visit, and what he would say. Less forthcoming on this issue, he replied: "I'll know what to say about Iran."

Former ambassador to the US Zalman Shoval told Celikkol that the people of Israel have a lot of empathy for the people of Turkey, "even if we have disagreements from time to time."

Turkish journalist Mahmut Gurer, who works for Aksam, came here for one day to see how severe the rift was and kept asking Israelis if they thought that it could be mended, and whether they thought that Turkey should mediate between Israel and Syria. He could not understand why Israelis got so upset over a television program and also expressed the view that Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan's outbursts were directed more against the EU than Israel. "We've been trying for years to get into the EU and we have a lot more going for us than countries like Romania and Bulgaria, but they were accepted and we were rejected," said Gurer. "The EU keeps demanding more and more from us and is never satisfied."

Celikkol, a seasoned diplomat who has many friends here and hopes to make more, took all the media attention smilingly in his stride. He began his address, just as he had earlier in the day at BESA, with "Shalom" and said how pleased he was to see so many people come out on a rainy day. The relationship between Turkey and Israel, he emphasized, was built on a unique, solid and historic foundation.