The US State Department published a list of countries invited to participate in its virtual Summit for Democracy next month with Israel listed alongside more than 100 other countries. Israel and Iraq were the only Middle Eastern countries invited.
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The two-day event is scheduled to take place from Dec. 9 to Dec. 10.
The State Department said that US President Joe Biden will host "leaders from government, civil society, and the private sector."
The online summit is set to "focus on challenges and opportunities facing democracies and will provide a platform for leaders to announce both individual and collective commitments, reforms and initiatives to defend democracy and human rights at home and abroad."
It will address three key themes: counteracting authoritarianism; addressing and combating corruption; and promoting respect for human rights.
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US allies such as Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates were not invited. Turkey, a NATO ally, is also not on the participant list. China and Russia were similarly not included.
Reprinted with permission from JNS.org.
