Before we dive into this topic, I want to acknowledge the brutality and pain that so many innocent humans are undergoing right now. It is evident that both sides are suffering, and I pray that peace will be embraced sooner than later.
War is one of the most devastating aspects of the human condition. Yet, despite the consequences it seems to weave itself through our evolutionary story with relentless stickiness.
While my main area of focus is with outer planetary movements (Jupiter, Saturn, Uranus, Neptune, and Pluto), I will touch on an inner planet today. That planet is Mars. Mars is an interesting planet as it acts as a trigger. Its element is fire, and what it desires the most is action. So whatever Mars touches (no coincidence that its glyph is shaped like an arrow), it triggers.
Exactly one week ago, on the morning of October 7th, the militant group Hamas terrorized Israeli citizens with a surprise coordinated attack.
Astrologically, Mars and Pluto (circled in red) were in a hard alignment (90° angle in the sky just 1° apart) on that day. This is very intense energy.
I want to remind you that astrology has nothing to do with causation and everything to do with correlation. So keep in mind that the planets did not cause this terrorist attack. Plotinus said it best: “The stars are like letters that inscribe themselves at every moment in the sky. Everything in the world is full of signs. All events are coordinated. All things depend on each other. Everything breathes together.”
Mars is the archetypal warrior, while Pluto is the instinctual beast. When these two planets are in alignment, the archetype of the conqueror comes into being. In its most noble attribute, there is courage and passion to drive things forward. On the other hand, in its deepest shadow, Mars-Pluto can show up as murderous rage. Unfortunately, we all witnessed––and many continue to experience––the dark, dark shadow of this aspect.
To put this into further context, Mars-Pluto were in alignment when Russia invaded Ukraine (conjunction 0° angle):
And when Germany invaded Poland, crystalizing the start of World War II (opposition 180° angle):
Clearly, Mars-Pluto is the energy of waging war.
This energy has and always will be part of the human psyche. However, with astrological awareness, we can do our best to participate with the most life-affirming aspects of this combination: to exercise courage and passion (Mars) for evolutionary regeneration and healing (Pluto).
So now let's take a diachronic look at the Israeli-Palestinain conlict. In the previous issue I shared that we are now in the sunset of the Saturn-Uranus transit, and that this indicates a period of intensification. This is precisely what is occurring, especially as we thread through previous Saturn-Uranus cycles:
1917––Saturn opposite Uranus: The Balfour Declaration was issued by the British government, expressing support for the establishment of a "national home for the Jewish people" in Palestine.
1947-1948––Saturn sextile Uranus: Israel declared its independence, sparking the First Arab-Israeli War and the displacement of Palestinian Arab populations.
1967––Saturn opposite Uranus: The Six-Day War occurred, during which Israel captured the West Bank, East Jerusalem, the Gaza Strip, and the Golan Heights, significantly altering the geopolitical landscape in the Middle East.
1973––Saturn trine Uranus: the Yom Kippur War took place when Egypt and Syria launched a surprise attack against Israel, leading to a significant conflict with regional and global implications.
1987––Saturn conjunct Uranus: the First Intifada, a Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation began, marked by widespread protests, civil disobedience, and violent confrontations.
2000––Saturn square Uranus: the Second Intifada, characterized by increased violence and terrorism erupted as a violent Palestinian uprising against Israeli occupation and policies, resulting in a period of intensified conflict in the region.
2007––Saturn opposite Uranus: Hamas took control of the Gaza Strip, leading to a political and territorial split between Gaza and the West Bank.
2023––Saturn square Uranus: Hamas launched a coordinated attack on Israel.
So what does this mean?
Well, it seems that the relationship between Israel and Palestine is a story that is deeply embedded in the Saturn-Uranus combination.
Saturn represents what is old, while Uranus represents what is new. So inherently, there is tension between the past and the future. In this case, it can be perceived in two ways: 1) the Land of Israel was inhabited by Jews prior to the birth of Islam––indicating a desire for Jews to return to the original tradition of the land; 2) Roman Emperor Hadrian exiled the Jews and renamed the province of Judea as Syria Palaestina in 135 CE, and since then has been the land of home for Palestinians––indicating a desire to conserve the more recent cultural history for that geography.
Should the old way or the new way have more power? It's a tough act of reconciliation as both Saturn and Uranus provide tremendous value. Like the divorce between Bill and Melinda, this conflict could end up in a major separation. However, the light of Saturn-Uranus is that of a bridge (literally and figuratively). For. exmaple, a figurative bridge was built between East and West Germany in 1989, and a literal bridge was built between the U.S. and Canada in 1940––both Saturn-Uranus periods.