Sunday, August 13, 2006

Lebanese jokes about war in Lebanon

I would like to post some Lebanese jokes that are circulating these days and that I received via email. Although they might seem inopportune to somebody, I see these jokes as an evidence that the sense of humour can persist even in the direst circumstances.

Why real estate prices went up in Ain El Rommaneh?

Li enno sarit bet toll 3al bahr...
(Because houses now enjoy a sea view)

(Ain El Rommaneh is a neighborhood in the hinterland of Beirut. It is separated from the sea by the Haret Hreik neighborhood and the 'dahiyeh' or banlieue, which were severely pounded by Israeli attacks over the last weeks)

Why the chi3a mabsoutin?
(Why are the Shi'a happy?)
Because wledoun saro bil maderis
(Because their children are now into schools)
(Displaced families are hosted in schools and universities across Lebanon. Shi'a are generally more disadvantaged than other confessional groups in terms of wealth and access to educational facilities.)

Why did Olmert call Fairouz?
To ask her about the location of Jisr al-Qamar
(Jisr al-Qamar, or 'The Moon bridge' is an opera sung by Lebanese diva Fairouz. Here it is a reference to the destruction of nearly all bridges in Lebanon)

Why did the Hamasneh go to Dahiyeh?
Cos they heard enno honik wel3aneh...
(Cause they heard you can have a blast there)
(The inhabitants of Homs in Syria are generally depicted in Lebanese jokes as not particularly clever, to put it mildly. The translation here is not accurate, but suggests a possible double significance in English)

Why do people in Dahiyeh raise their fingers in V?
Because there are two buildings left standing in Dahiyeh...
(Update, August 14: today they are probably raising their fingers for "victory" too)


It's four days that I'm awaken always by the same nightmare...
Drawing by Mazen Kermaj

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