All fingers point to Iran as being behind the Hamas attack on Israel though motivations are likely to be complex. They includes decades of occupation worsening with a right-wing Tel Aviv government in place, Hamas attempting to display its power in the face of a lacklustre Palestinian Authority and grab internal control and a Hamas wish to insert themselves into the wider political shift in the region with the ongoing US-brokered normalisation between Israel and Saudi Arabia. Iran has been recruiting allies in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon and the Islamic Jihad aiming to create an “effective deterrence belt” around Israel and thus to deter the USA. See post 29 May 2023
In the midst of this live the poor Gazans, two million of them, stuck in a virtual open-air prison, 25 miles long and a few miles wide, with constant electricity and water cuts, a coastline reeking of untreated sewage. It is incredibly difficult to get permission to leave, either via Egypt or Israel, even for those seeking medical care such as cancer treatment. Many of the people there hate both Israel and Hamas, whom they credit with destroying the education system and imposing a brand of extremely conservative Islam.
For the first time Hamas has kidnapped many civilians hoping to use them as human shields, betting that Israel will hold their fire to spare their people’s lives.
Both Iran charts do have some contacts with this Libra Solar Eclipse. The 7 October 1906 chart has Mercury at 22 Libra with Solar Arc Pluto at 21 degrees about to reach the conjunction within months which will step u the rhetoric of nothing else. The Iran 1 February 1979 chart has Pluto at 19 Libra which will also be triggered, bringing an urgency to changes they want to put in place.
There are stresses and strains on the relationship charts with the USA, Saudi Arabia and Israel at the moment and in 2024. But when the aggravation peaks will be between 2025 and 2027.
Hezbollah, a Lebanon terrorist group formed as a result of the 1982 Israeli invasion of Lebanon, has a hazy history of its beginnings but the chart I have is 16 February 1985. That points up 2024/25 as years of extreme disruption leading into violence and more turbulence by 2027. Though this month’s Lunar Eclipse will also impact its Pluto at 4 Scorpio ramping up the pressure.
Two points in general seem pertinent. One is the poor downtrodden inhabitants of Gaza and Iran, both at the mercy of fanatical bullies. Secondly there is a strange irony about the Gazans and West Bank Palestinians being enclosed by a hostile Israel when the prison warder Israel itself is enclosed by hostile neighbours.
“All fingers point to Iran…” – whose fingers and where is the proof? The Western media outlets are running completely unverified stories suggesting this, with messianic fervour, eager to stoke the notion of “ends justify means” when it comes to America’s and Israel’s enemies, just as they did in Gulf War 2. It is also inaccurate to say that many Palestinians hate Hamas – even a large number of Christian Palestinians are grateful for how they have supplied – by hook or crook – basic necessities to Gazans every time Israel tries to starve them to death or deny them medicines.
Speaking of betrayal let’s not forget Britains Lord Balfour, who gave away, yes gave away, Palestine to the Proto Zionists, Rothschild et al, in his infamous Balfour Declaration of 1917.
Is Bibi out? He sounds like FDR missing Pearl Harbor and landing his nation in the middle of a blood bath. Did he simply miss it or did he blow off intelligence warnings?
treason is now being mentioned/considered
An editorial from Haaretz, the Israeli paper, blaming Netanyahu for the attack:
“https://www.haaretz.com/opinion/editorial/2023-10-08/ty-article-opinion/netanyahu-bears-responsibility/0000018b-0b9d-d8fc-adff-6bfd1c880000”
In the Book of World Horoscopes there is a chart for the ‘Middle East Mandate’ of April 25, 1920 (pp. 440-441 in the Revised and Updated Edition). It followed the defeat of the Ottoman Empire after which the British and French worked through the League of Nations to define the boundaries of Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Jordan and Palestine and were awarded the mandates to rule those territories. The commentary says that astrologer “Michael Baigent has argued that the horoscope for the granting of mandates represents the middle east as a whole, and the broad sweep of its political life, including the Arab-Israeli conflict.” The chart is set for when agreement was reached at 11:22 am in San Remo, Italy. I adjusted the default settings in Solar Fire to EET -2:00 and 43N51, 007E50 to match the chart in the book. BWH also says you can set this chart for any of the middle eastern capitals.
Set for San Remo, the chart has a 22°03′ Cancer ascendant, a Sun at 4°51′ Taurus in the 10th house, and a Moon at 11°48′ Scorpio. So the upcoming 21°07′ Libra solar eclipse is square the ascendant, the lunar eclipse at 5°09′ Taurus is conjunct the Sun, and the lunar eclipse Mars at 11°23′ Scorpio is conjunct its Moon while Jupiter at 11°14′ Taurus Rx is opposite it. Its Mars is at 29°25′ Libra Rx which will be transited by Mars in just a couple of days and this degree was opposite the April 20 solar eclipse at 29°50′ Aries. Its progressed Moon is currently at 5°20′ Taurus conjunct the Sun and the lunar eclipse and its progressed Mars at 12°49′ Scorpio. And solar arc Moon is at 11°48′ Scorpio. Anyway I thought it was interesting and that I should throw it out there in case others want to look at the chart and experiment with it.
Some yrs ago, Marjorie posted a detailed history of mis-influence following the British and French intrusions. Borders which were based on rivers, ridges, hills, were throw out in favor of “educated mens’ thinking toward straight lines”.
I was thinking along these lines following the eruption of hostilities. The old ways just couldn’t be respected, even as they worked.
It does seem like the region was carved up badly and caused many future problems, like Palestinian families being cut off from each other. I also wondered if this chart had already appeared elsewhere on Marjorie’s site in the past. If so, my apologies to Marjorie. I’ve been doing a crash course reading up on the history of the area and there are so many possible charts given its tortuous past. But this one seemed notable since Baigent thought it was important. A tangled web.
Thanks for the 1920 date – I’ll do a ME writeup. The fastest crash course in ME history of that period is David Lean’s movie Lawrence which makes it clear that Lawrence and the Arabs who supported him and he made promises to were betrayed by the politicians in the carve up after WW1.
Thanks Laurien for the 1920 ME Mandate date. My second-hand Book of World Horoscopes is old, and doesn’t have it.
I’ve been thinking about the interminable Crusades, because of this Saros series beginning at the time of the 7th Crusade, the involvement of Iran (Persia), and the volatility of the entire region (often religious). What’s interesting in this context is the proclamation of the First Crusade by Pope Urban II on 27 November, 1095, JC. In this he rails against the Persians. Anyway, the astrology offers:
Jupiter 22 Capricorn square Uranus 21 Aries
Moon on that day in the first decan of Scorpio
Neptune 29 Cancer
It would seem as if these degrees are sensitive, since they are now cropping up in our more recent history of the region. I haven’t done a full check of any kind. However, the invasion of Iraq, 19 March 2003, which has been extremely de-stabilising, has an eclipse at 9 Gemini in May 2003 as the first phase ends. The Sun was 10 Sagittarius square Saturn 11 Virgo for Pope Urban’s declaration in 1095.
I never had the first edition so wasn’t sure if it was in there or not. I’ve found myself thinking about the Crusades too but unlike you have not dug into those charts. An excellent point that that the current eclipse series originated while they were happening. I always appreciate your historical and astrological contributions, Jane. Thanks so much!
I’m so happy you found enough value in the chart to run with it. I’m about to dig into your latest post on the ME where you made use of it. I find it so helpful both as an astrologer and just as anyone who cares about what is going on in the world to understand the history of conflicts. I have seen the movie Lawrence of Arabia a couple of times and it is fabulous. Obviously it bears watching again to understand the roots of the current crisis. Thanks again Marjorie and keep up the great work.