Israel is galloping towards the point where it will lose the unique status of being the only democracy in the Middle East as the ultra-right wing parliament voted to strip the country’s supreme court of its powers to block government decisions. The opposition walked out, joining a huge crowd of protesters, with reservists, the Israeli security establishment as well as labor unions threatening action, with strong concerns also being raised by Jewish lobby groups in the USA.
Critics argue it will become a sham democracy with no check on the power of the executive. Israel has no written constitution, nor a second parliamentary chamber to balance the Knesset. The supreme court has been the backstop on issues deemed to threaten the rights of citizens and democracy, including long-running arguments over the role of religion in a secular society, the definition of a Jew, the treatment of Israel’s Arab minority and Palestinians in the occupied territories.
Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert said: “We are governed today by a bunch of militants, nationalists, chauvinists, [and] radicals. Reckless, irresponsible, and totally inexperienced people.” He said if US administrations present and past had taken far tougher lines against Netanayhu’s policies — and placed Israel’s special relationship with the United States in the balance — it would have had positive effects.
Biden has been mildly disapproving but no more with no indication on the astrology that he will toughen his stance. The Israel/USA relationship chart is not flagging up much movement until next year when a confused tr Pluto trine the delusional Jupiter Neptune conjunction picks up, running for two years. That will bring a reality check as old illusions get demolished. The process will intensify in 2025/26 with tr Neptune Saturn square the composite Mercury Venus.
Inside Israel, confidence is being undermined by tr Neptune square the Jupiter exactly now and that runs on and off till early 2025. But the key detonator for the turbulence to come is tr Uranus conjunct the 8th house Taurus Sun from this August on and off into 2024 and then an explosive, violent, insecure tr Uranus square the Israel Mars by 2025 into early 2026. This year and next there are also a run of catastrophic, high-risk transits to Mars midpoints; and a devastating Pluto square the Sun/Neptune midpoint through 2024/25.
There is more detail in a previous post: Israel – on a dark road backwards 30th December 2022.
One explanation for the state of Israel now is the rapid rise in the population of ultra-orthodox Jews and the consequent decline in the influence of the largely secular Ashkenazi community which has resulted in the growth of religious fundamentalism and conflict with the liberal mainstream in society. The right-wingers are pushing for more settlements and outright annexation of lands under military rule since 1967.
Shades of Modi in India and to a similar degree the stranglehold of the GOP in the USA.
On a petty personal note there is an odd resonance at the moment of schadenfreude – that’s the wrong word – more an irritated ‘I told you so’ about several political screw-ups. Nicola Sturgeon for one and Boris Johnson for two who rose to prominence despite it being glaringly obvious they were not fit for any kind of constructive purpose. Israel at a different level should have had international policing put in when it was established in 1948, to protect the indigenous Palestinians as per the Balfour Declaration – except post WW11 the USA/UK had too much on their plate elsewhere. Israel has been steadily marching up the wrong road since it was established, content to bask in the support of big brother USA. It is difficult to see where this ends.
Anyone who had doubts about Netanyahu’s grip on Israel should look at the synchronicity between their charts…amazing impact
On Israel one can see that the transit of Saturn through Pisces squaring various Gemini planets and Uranus conjunct the natal sun will cause Israel (and incidentally the Gemini/Virgo folk who have been to the fore recently) uncomfortable.
I am not sure about Sturgeon but, as a general comment, the SNP seem to have driven into a cul de sac as their one possible asset- North Sea Oil- is going if not gone. Paradoxically Brexit saved them but that is running out . Independence is not a realistic prospect in a world on fire.
Rather than having a futile dingdong over Sturgeon, about whom people will never agree, (I write from Scotland) let us stick to the interesting points about Israel.
The point Marjorie was making is that when fanatics get going, a degree of rationality and objectivity is lost, and the same sadly seems to be happening in Israel. Nationalism and religion, along with skin colour, seem to induce greater fanaticism than almost anything else. They have been more productive of war, sorrow, loss, and distress than almost anything except disease and natural disasters.
She absolutely fitted up Salmond. Murray is a powerful advocate for independence, just not Nicola and her gang. It’s a cult…like BJ or Trump …
I remember listening to a podcast earlier this year and the interviewee, Matti Friedman, an Israeli NYT columnist explained how western assumptions about what Israel is and is trying to become are often misconstrued. He explained that Israel doesn’t see itself as a democracy. First of all, having been “born” out of the remnants of a genocide, securitization was always more important to the founding fathers than democratization. He also explained that when the Jewish diaspora all started to return to Israel after hundreds of years of living elsewhere (primarily the Middle East), they brought with them beliefs, politics, and culture centred around theocracies, autocracies, and repressive regimes. Furthermore, given that the population from those communities far outnumbered those from Europe, they’ve had an outsized voice on the right-leaning slant of Israeli politics. With Neptune’s tour through Aries closely approaching – and thus conjuncting their ascendant and opposing their natal Neptune, it’s hard not to see a world where Israel doesn’t continue to be blinded by their delusion of being the forebearers of supposed “Middle Eastern peace”.
Sorry, I meant opposing their natal ascendant, not conjuncting
Oh come off it Marjorie – to use a Scottish expression.
I enjoy your insights but you seem to have a blind spot on Scottish politics.
‘Nicola Sturgeon not fit for politics ‘ is in the realms of fantasy and comparisons with Johnson ridiculous
As successive wins voted for by the Scottish electorate show. The Scottish electorate is probably the most sceptical of its politicians with the exception of the French.
Do you really think she has pulled the wool over all our eyes??
Yes
That’s what comes of reading the Daily Mail and the Telegraph.
They’re completely ignorant of Scotland
You are treading on very thin ice. I read all the papers across the spectrum.
What astonishes me – and I do not intend to have an ongoing ping pong match on the subject is how a mountain of evidence makes no inroads into true believers whether of Trump, Boris, Brexit or the SNP.
All this is a bore and it really is not worth the effort arguing with fundamentalists.
I don’t know anyone of any political persuasion in Scotland or south of the border among my friends and relatives for that matter who equate Nicola Sturgeon with Boris Johnson.
But there’s no talking to some people.
Cheerio
According to press reports today she and her lavender husband are to be imminently charged. Pluto transit against her sun and Mars making it’s presence felt. Craig Murray has the dibs on her, so I’d say she has pulled the wool over peoples eyes. Look at what she did to Salmond…If only the gargoyle cavalcade south of the border was facing the karma music too.
She had nothing to do with the Salmond prosecution. Incidentally he was found not guilty of any of the charges by a jury.
Craig Murray was rejected by the SNP as a candidate so hardly impartial.
Even non Sturgeon supporters like my family are of the opinion this is completely over the top and politically motivated