# Joking about horrible things

- Author: Joichi Ito
- Date: 2004-08-19T14:31:24Z


The post by Xeni about Stealth Lynndie-ing reminded me of a story I heard recently from a unnamed source involved in Israeli and Palestinian relations. Apparently after an official meeting, an Israeli and Palestinian were having coffee and the Israeli asked the Palestinian to tell him a joke. Here is the joke the Palestinian told:

So there's this young guy from Hebron (I guess they make fun of people from Hebron...). He goes to the PLO and says he wants to become a suicide bomber. The PLO gives him a gun, a belt-bomb and a cell phone and tell him to call when he's found some Jews. He kid goes out and finds a Jew and calls. "Hey I found one, I found one!" "One? You have to fine more. Find a group." The kid call back later and say, "I found a dozen Jews!" "No no... like a lot. Find a disco with a bunch of young Jewish kids." The kid continues. "I'm at a disco with a LOT of Jewish young people!" "Go for it!" And the young man from Hebron pulls out his gun and shoots himself in the head.

What's amazing to me is that even in, and maybe more often in, the most cruel of human situations, humor exists and even thrives. This joke, told by a Palestinian to an Israeli really highlights one of my favorite Shimon Peres quotes: "We are just two tragedies meeting in the same place at the same time."





---

#### Categories

Global Politics, Humor