Rich countries should agree to take at least 5 percent of all Syrian refugees by the end of next year, the UN and aid agencies said yesterday as pressure mounts ahead of a major conference on the crisis.
At least 3.2 million people have fled Syria since the civil conflict erupted in 2011, putting neighboring countries under colossal strain.
Syrian refugees across the Middle East, some in exile for a fourth winter, face freezing temperatures, hunger and increasing hostility from locals as governments struggle to cope.
A conference in Geneva today comes amid concern that the biggest host countries — Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey — have started restricting access to people fleeing the war.
“European countries must share responsibility,” European Council on Refugees and Exiles spokeswoman Ana Fontal said. “It’s difficult to continue saying you shouldn’t close borders if we don’t do more to bring refugees here.”
The UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) is calling on countries to make pledges towards resettling 130,000 refugees affected by “the worst humanitarian crisis of our time.”
It is prioritizing the most vulnerable, including those with medical needs, torture survivors and women and girls at risk.
“Offering resettlement can mean the difference between life and death,” Fontal said. “EU countries must seize the opportunity to express greater solidarity and significantly increase their role in providing protection.”
The 5 percent demand — which represents 160,000 refugees — is backed by many aid and refugee groups, including Oxfam, Save the Children, Refugee Council and Amnesty International.
Amnesty ;ast week strongly criticized Gulf countries for their “shameful” failure to resettle a single Syrian refugee.
The UNHCR says offers made since last year bring it nearly halfway toward its goal of 130,000 places. Germany alone has pledged to take 30,000 Syrians.
“We want countries to follow the example of Germany and come up with ambitious numbers,” Fontal said.
A handful of European countries have indicated plans to accept more Syrians next year. Norway could take up to 1,500, France 500 and the Netherlands 250. Belgium said it would resettle 150 refugees, with a focus on religious minorities.
In other developments, Israel yesterday said that it will not allow “sophisticated weapons” to fall into the hands of its enemies, after furious claims from Syria that Israeli warplanes carried out air strikes near Damascus.
Israel refused to confirm or deny the strikes, but its forces have previously targeted weapons allegedly destined for Lebanon’s Hezbollah.
The two strikes on Sunday, including one on Syria’s main international airport, were condemned by Damascus, which called for UN sanctions against Israel.
Asked about the strikes on public radio, Israeli Intelligence Minister Yuval Steinitz stressed Israel’s policy of preventing arms transfers to militant groups.
Additional reporting by AFP
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