Europe's response to the refugee crisis

We welcome Europe's waking up to the realities of the ongoing migrant crisis that has stirred the human conscience. In July alone, more than 100,000 migrants entered the European Union, leaving the 28-nation EU squabbling over ways to deal with this huge influx of people leaving behind civil war, persecution and misrule. 

With Germany and Austria opening their borders to thousands of exhausted refugees and the UK, one of the more reluctant responders to this humanitarian crisis pledging to provide resettlement for "thousands more" refugees, European leaders seem to have realised that they have a moral obligation to offer a place of safety to these desperate people.  Let us not forget that after the Second World War, countries made solemn pledges never again to abandon innocent people to persecution and conflict. Countries that still seem to be reluctant must remind their citizens that it is a test of their values and the values of modern, democratic states extend well beyond their borders. 

The burden, however, is not on the shoulder of Europe alone. Wealthy Gulf countries that so far have done very little or nothing to give shelter to Syrian refugees should be more welcoming. The refugees need help and the international community can provide it only if it shares the task.