ASTROLOGY OF THE ISRAEL-PALESTINE CONFLICT

At the end of June, Israeli forces stormed into southern Gaza, attacking three bridges and knocking out a power plant in an effort to force the release of an Israeli soldier who had been kidnapped by Palestinian militants. Ironically, yesterday Hamas and Fatah (the two Palestinian political factions) came to an agreement on a shared political platform which formally recognizes the State of Israel. It's doubtful, though, that last night's attack will secure the peace process.

The astrological chart for Israel (from astrodatabank) shows the Sun in the fixed sign of Taurus in square (challenging aspect) to Mars (warfare and aggression) in Leo. In mundane astrology, the Sun represents the spirit of the nation, and Taurus is focused in security and peace. A fixed sign, Taurus can be stubborn like the Bull by which it is symbolized, and does not easily adapt to the ideas of others. The square of Mars to the Sun shows a combative nature, and Mars in the royal sign of Leo can be arrogant and prideful. Chiron forms a T-square to the Mars/Sun opposition: the Sun is opposed by Chiron (the wounded healer), indicating a persistent healing crisis in the life of the nation that will pressure it to continually align with the truth. In the individual, failure to make this alignment results in chronic disease, and the same can be said of countries. Chiron also makes a square to Mars, indicating that an imbalance of aggression and the failure to create healthy boundaries will lead to great pain.

Four planets fall in Leo in the Israeli chart: Moon, Pluto, Saturn and Mars. Leo is the sign of self-oriented expression, and the Moon in Leo demands appreciation and recognition. Conjunct Pluto as it is in this chart, the Moon is constantly under pressure to prove its worth. The conjunction of Saturn and Pluto is a challenging one in any chart: Saturn strives for stability and practicality, it is the planet that inspires building something lasting. Pluto, on the other hand, demands authenticity and breaks down structures that are not for the highest good. The combination of these two planets generally requires a letting go of our own plans (Saturn) and a willingness to open up to the possibilities of transformation (Pluto). Resistance to this process leads to a constant crisis and breakdown of the structures we work hard to establish.

Israel's beginning as a state was marked by constant conflict that mirrored this inner complex, and this latest conflict was stimulated by the passage of combative Mars over the Saturn/Pluto combination in the Israeli chart. Also present in the Israeli chart is the opposition between Uranus (radical ideas and change) to Jupiter (philosophy, meaning, expansion). Uranus is the idealist - the Utopian humanitarian where humans live together in brotherhood. However, Uranus ate his children, and has been known to destroy that which doesn't fit into his ideals. Jupiter is the philosopher, the ideologue, the creator of theology and shared ideals. When two planets are in challenging aspect to each other, like the opposition, we tend to see the more negative manifestations of these planets, resulting in a self-righteous (Jupiter) desire for Utopia and the willingness to break through and destroy any obstacles in its path.

Before we can discuss the chart of the Palestinians, we must ask: What exactly is the Palestinian nation? What birthtime would you use for the Palestinian people? This is a difficult question and impossible to ask without deep political implications. During World War I, Britan obtained the support of Arabs living under the control of the Ottoman Empire by promising their independence. In 1916, the Sykes-Picot Agreement between Britain and France divided the Arab states into zones of influence (this is the same agreement that created Iraq which was then controlled by Britain). In 1917 the Balfour Declaration endorsed the idea of a Jewish state within Palestine, a notion that was supported by the League of Nations in 1922. The partition plan granted the Jewish people over half of the land in Palestine, which caused an uproar among the Arabs who were the majority population at that time. The first major riots between Jews and Arabs took place in 1929 while Palestine was still under British rule. In 1937 the Peel Commission determined that peace between the Jews and Arabs was impossible, and recommended partition of Palestine into a Jewish state, and Arab state, and a neutral religious site controlled by Britain. In December of 1947, Britain announced plans to withdraw from Palestine in May of 1948. Arab protests against partition erupted in violence, and on May 14, 1948 at 4:32 pm Jewish leaders announced the establishment of a Jewish state in Palestine. This is the date and time commonly used for the Israel chart.

In an official cablegram from the Secretary General of the League of Arab States to the UN Secretary on May 15, 1948, the Arab states officially declared the formation of a "United State of Palestine" in the place of the two-state concept. Because the British mandate officially expired at midnight on May 15, 1948, it makes sense to use this time for the chart, so the establishment of Palestine occurred shortly after the State of Israel. This means the two charts are virtually identical, with the same inner conflicts and complexes. When two individuals have the same inner complexes and enter a relationship with each other, they will constantly stimulate the difficulties inherent in those complexes. The same can be true of nations, and we have certainly seen this to be true with Israel and Palestine.

The time difference means that the house structure is different than the Israeli chart even though all of the planets are in the same signs. I have used Cairo, Egypt as the birthplace, although using Gaza changes the angles by only 3 degrees or so. In any event, the house structure is different: the chart for the Palestinian state shows Aquarius rising rather than the Scorpio rising chart of Israel. Aquarius on the ascendant (rising) shows someone who values the collective more than the individual life; the ideal is the most important thing. The Palestinians have shown a willingness to sacrifice many lives for their ideal of returning to their homeland.

Israel's Scorpio ascendant shows an intense nature that seeks to win at all costs. Scorpio is about power, and is often secretive and manipulative in order to maintain that power. Israel has three different secret intelligence agencies and has long had a top secret nuclear weapons program. Its survival depends upon its ability to maintain power in the region, where it is surrounded by enemies. Scorpio is well known for its sting and makes a vicious enemy.

Both Israel and Palestine have a Leo stellium (four planets in Leo), showing a strong need for recognition and rulership (see more on this stellium in the discussion of the Israeli chart below). For both nations, the combination of Saturn, Pluto and the Moon in Leo indicates a life-long crisis (Saturn/Pluto) around the need (Moon) for recognition (Leo). Since the inception of Israel, both the Israelis and the Palestinian Arabs have struggled for recognition as the true occupier of the homeland. The Israel chart shows the Leo stellium in the tenth house, the house of highest aspirations and public office, and the crisis of security has become the main thing for which Israel is known (tenth house). The Palestinian chart, with the Leo stellium in the seventh house of partnerships and open enemies, shows that their struggle has been with their allies (most notably Egypt and Lebanon) as well as with Israel, the sworn enemy.

Because of the challenging dynamics within the charts of both Israel and Palestine , the dynamics within the two charts are expressed between the charts as well. This commonly occurs in a relationship between two people who are born at the same time - their inner dynamics are expressed through the relationship. This is difficult because the individuals are seldom able to "own" those dynamics as internal to their makeup, which makes it more difficult for them to come to a resolution. Instead, the partner becomes the focus and is blamed for the internal distress. For example, Chiron in both charts opposes the Sun, indicating painful wounds around the individual identity of each nation. Because the planets are in virtually the same positions in both charts, Chiron in the chart of one nation opposes the Sun in the chart of the other, and from the dawn of the conflict each has been instrumental in the wounding (Chiron) of the identity (Sun) of the other. Saturn and Pluto both conjoin the Moon in each chart, creating a sense of annhilation (Saturn/Pluto) to the emotional security (Moon) of each people. This is exacerbated by the fact that Saturn/Pluto in the chart of the Israelis conjuncts the Moon in the Palestinian chart, and vice versa. Because each continues to blame the other for their lack of security, and in response each continues to attack the other, there is never a healing of the dynamic that lies within the nature of each country. Just as in the relationship described above, the enemy becomes the focus and the internal dysfunction is never healed.

Currently the charts for both Israel and the Palestinians are undergoing transits to the Leo planets and the Uranus/Jupiter opposition. Transiting Saturn began passing over the Moon in the charts last year and is moving into position to hit the Saturn/Pluto conjunction in the charts. The period of July and August will be extremely difficult for both peoples as transiting Saturn applies pressure and restrictions on the ability of each to achieve their objectives. On a larger scale, transiting Pluto last year began a pass over the natal Jupiter/Uranus combination in both charts, planting the seeds of transformation that led to Israel's pullout from Gaza and a more democratic Palestinian government after the death of Yasir Arafat. Pluto is currently retrograding back over this sensitive point and will make a station (appear to stand still) right on the Uranus point of the charts, creating culture wars within Israel (probably resulting from increased military activity from Saturn) and within Palestine as well.

Pluto will remain at this point through early November, at which point it will move into position to conjunct Jupiter. This is a long-range planetary cycle that will continue throughout the end of next year and will also involve an over the opposition between Uranus (radical thought) and Jupiter (expansion) in the chart of both Israel and the Palestinians. This transit could bring greater empowerment to both peoples if they can let go of the ego need (Leo Moon) to be right and engage in productive dialogue. Just as in relationships of individuals, however, the only way for peace to truly occur is if both are able to disengage and look within.

There is no doubt that we are in a cycle of global transformation and change that is leading up to the Uranus/Pluto square of 2010-2013. However, we cannot allow ourselve to sink into fear. FEAR can be explained as False Evidence Appearing Real, and we need to always step back and look at the bigger picture of what we are really doing here on planet Earth. As individuals we can make tremendous a difference in the world around us just by making small changes in ourselves and our own environment.