Iran sending aid to Gaza? What else is new?

Yes, the headlines from Al Jazeera read, “Iran to send aid ships to Gaza”.  Here’s the problem: they’ve probably been aid to Gaza all along, but not the type of aid that actually helps people.  Their type of aid includes guns, ammunition, and perhaps not much that could even be considered “dual use”.  In fact, given what Iran is in hot water for, themselves, perhaps the ”aid” might take an entirely new dimension.

It’s not that I’m in favor of blockading aid to Gaza, especially legitimate aid.  But Iran is classically overplaying its hand against the court of world opinion, while its own citizens are in great need of such aid, with oil prices having been flat for quite a while.

We can always point at one side or the other in the conflict in Gaza and assign fault.  It’s undeniably true that Hamas shot off rockets into Israel, and it is equally undeniably true that the conditions in Gaza itself are appalling.  Iran won’t resolve this matter.  Instead they are just playing to everyone’s emotions, and they’re not doing that good of job at it.