Sir, - I was sorely disappointed by the statement made by Minister Avishai Braverman at the reception in honor of Turkey's national day. As quoted by Greer Fay Cashman ('Grapevine,' November 4), he began by stressing the importance of relations between Israel and Turkey. Fine. But he concluded with 'We have to do everything possible to strengthen relations. Israel can't afford to quarrel with the whole world.'
Is Braverman placing the onus for the breach and the task of containing the 'quarrel' on us? He seems oblivious of the vicious and false accusations made gratuitously against Israel by the prime minister of Turkey. He chooses to ignore Turkey's growing alignment with the two leading anti-Israel terrorist states, Iran and Syria.
The appropriate response by a minister of the sovereign State of Israel must be a non-obsequious and forthright challenge to these base accusations and reprehensible behavior.We must unequivocally declare our positive interest in good relations between our two countries - based, however, on honor, mutual respect and many shared interests.
ZEV CHAMUDOT
Petah Tikva
