The web is full of horrifying pictures of dead civilians in Syria, including dozens or even hundreds of dead children following an alleged chemical attack near Damascus. Watching them is simply unbearable.
It’s still unclear who is behind the attack and what weapon was used, and maybe it’s not that important at this point. Analysts are once again discussing Western military intervention in Syria, which still seems unlikely. But before asking the U.S. to send its bombers, there is one thing Israel could do in order to actually help save lives: opening the borders and allowing in a substantial number of Syrian refugees.
Not a handful of wounded who are sent back to their Syrian nightmare once their wounds are healed, but the many who need long-term refuge until fighting ends.
Israel is more prosperous and stable than Jordan or Lebanon, and each of those countries has already accepted hundreds of thousands of refugees.
Geopolitical circumstances will probably prevent Israel from taking a more active role in ending the war, but our country can still help save many lives. It’s not just the smart or honorable thing to do. It’s the only real human response to the massacre, and the moral call of our own history.
(Graphic images in video)
