Below are listed dates, and when possible, times of likely increased violence in the Middle East. I have used Israel’s chart in all computations. Specifically I have based all predictions on the aspects described below in the Update on Israel, 3/23/02: the progressed MC conjunct progressed Mars square to natal Uranus and the transit of Uranus to Israel’s Mars. The former seems more connected with the suicide bombings and the latter with Israeli aggression, but these cannot be hard and fast rules. I think the most dangerous times are when both of these aspects are triggered simultaneously. The items with stars have the strongest planetary indicators for significant and violent events. The times given are Israeli local time.
4/17/02 –possible terrorism 6 –10:30 PM
transiting Moon (24 Gemini) square progressed Mars/progressed MC (24 Virgo), square natal Uranus (24 Gemini); transiting Sun (28 Aries) sextile transiting Uranus (28 Aquarius), opposite natal Mars (28 Leo)
4/22/02 - possible terror or general increase of violence 1 –4:30 PM
transiting Moon (28 Leo) conjunct natal Mars (28 Leo), opposite transiting Uranus (28 Aquarius)
IDF Arrests Bomber and 14 Hamas Members, 5 Palestinians Killed
Saudis Line up at Israeli border
Palestinian Attack on West Bank Settlement
Israeli Troops Enter Hebron
Likud Votes Against any Palestinian State on the West Bank
Several violent incidents
Suicide Bombing in Netanya
Jerusalem Bus Bomb6/17, 7 -11 PM – possible terrorism
Israel Retakes Part of West Bank
On May 14, 1948, after the Israeli Proclamation of Independence had been read and signed, Ben Gurion proclaimed, “Israel has been born! The meeting has ended.” The time for this moment is alternatively given as either 4:32 or 4:37 PM. In my previous work I have always used the 4:37 time, but I have recently come to the conclusion that the relentless violence that has plagued the region in the past month is better described by a time a few minutes earlier. In the article below, I had improvised using 4:33 PM, but I had not actually seen a source for that time. I have since noted that Nicholas Campion in The Book of World Horoscopes mentions a 4:32 time.
Careful calculation using this time yields a progressed Midheaven conjunct progressed Mars that has been building in intensity for at least two years. Moreover, this aspect will continue to wax in strength for several months. The progressed Mars/progressed Midheaven conjunction at 24 Virgo, although currently only about 12 minutes apart, continues through mid-October 2002. It is a very strong indicator of an intensified military focus in Israel during the entire period of its duration.
In the past year this progression has been rendered especially violent by its square to natal Uranus (24 Gemini21). Although progressed Mars is now slightly past natal Uranus as of early March, progressed Midheaven remains in square to natal Uranus until early June. This implies sudden changes and shifts in policy due to unexpected and distressing events. It also suggests that virtually any transit triggering 24 degrees of the mutable signs can stimulate potentially aggressive, violent, or military events.
With the Mars/Midheaven/Uranus energy as a background, the coming transit of Uranus opposite Israel’s natal Mars (28Leo19) takes on a more ominous note. This is yet another very violent aspect that implies sudden, unpredictable and dramatic events. This transit will be very strong in April and is likely to be significantly triggered by the Mars /Uranus square of April 8 – 10 at 27Taurus/Aquarius42. Until about mid-July, Uranus will make a station opposing Israel’s natal Mars, continuing the hyper-stimulation of war-like energy and violence. During this transit, any stimulation of 28 degrees of the fixed signs, 28 degrees in general, and 13 of the cardinal signs, will act as a trigger, especially when the aspect is close to exact (second half of April and mid-June through July 10). The final phase of this aspect comes in late January and early February 2003.
Thus, despite the current attempts at peace negotiations, the existing cycle of attacks and reprisals seems destined to continue for at least a few more months. It seems that the most dangerous period will be from now through mid-July with the concurrence in Israel’s chart of progressed Midheaven conjunct progressed Mars, progressed Midheaven square natal Uranus, and the coming transit of Uranus opposition to natal Mars. After mid-July it seems that a lull in the violence is possible, although the progressed Mars/progressed Midheaven aspect is seemingly still in effect (based on the 4:32 PM time), suggesting that at least some level of tension will remain.
The final act of the current Palestinian/Israeli conflict is likely to come during December 2002 through mid-February 2003. That period includes Israel’s tertiary progressed Sun square natal Mars and the last phase of the transit of Uranus opposite natal Mars. (It should be noted that the same period shows up as a potential time of military events in Iraq.) However, when the planetary configurations of early 2003 are past, it seems that a real possibility exists for peace to take hold in the Middle East. In my calculations, I can find no further indications of the violence and turmoil that have plagued the region increasingly for the past 18 months.
Astrological indicators suggest a critical and dangerous time for Israel from early December through the first of March 2002. There is a confluence of several planetary aspects that indicate violence, sudden attacks both given and received, as well as a profound sense of a fight for survival. Particularly dangerous is the period from January 9 through February 14, 2002.
The Israeli progressed Mars at 24 Virgo is currently square natal Uranus at 24 Gemini. This aspect forms an umbrella over the entire period from the summer of 2000 through early March 2002. It is an aspect of tremendous violence and anger, and it increases in intensity until its peak around March 1, 2002. It is further intensified by the Israeli progressed Midheaven (24 Virgo) being close to, and perhaps exactly conjunct*, progressed Mars, adding a very warlike and military focus to events. Any planetary transit that triggers this progression is likely to cause a violent and sudden crisis. We have already witnessed this during the period from December 10 through 16 when first Mercury and then the Sun crossed 24 Sagittarius. Several brutal Palestinian suicide attacks occurred during this time, as well as a fierce retaliation by Israel. Other significant triggers of this potent and violent progression occur on January 9 through 11, 2002 (Mars at 24 Pisces), and January 19 through February 5, 2002 (Uranus at 24 Aquarius), with special emphasis on January 25 through 31, 2002 (Mars at 9 Aries and Mercury at 9 Aquarius). A more minor triggering comes on December 30 through 31, 2001 (Mercury at 24 Capricorn).
A second significant planetary alignment during this period is the final pass of transiting Uranus square to the Israeli Sun at 23Taurus41. This will be in effect through most of January 2002, peaking around the 24th and thus overlapping somewhat with the above-mentioned Uranian trigger of the progressed Mars/natal Uranus square. This transit will be augmented considerably from January 9 through 16 when Jupiter semisquares the Israeli Sun. Such a combination of Uranus, Mars, Sun, and Jupiter suggests determined, aggressive military action, undeterred by public/international opinion. It also suggests surprise and sudden attacks.
Further corroborating the expansion of military activity during this three-month period is an aspect in Israeli Prime Minister Sharon’s Swearing-in chart (3/7/01, Tel Aviv, at approximately 10:40 PM LMT), which may be used as the chart for his administration. In this chart we find a Mars /Pluto conjunction that, by tertiary progression, moves into one degree orb and then becomes exact (15Sagittarius17) from late November 2001 through the end of January 2002. Although no particular trigger is indicated, this progression suggests that Sharon’s anger at Palestinian terrorism and his willingness to respond with fierce aggression will intensify through January 2002.
Sudden attacks from hidden enemies, swift and strong action, as well as events moving at a very fast pace, are indicated by the tertiary progression of Venus in the Israeli chart (4Capricorn38) coming to opposition of the tertiary progressed Uranus (4Cancer38 R) and the natal Venus (4Cancer49). This configuration will be in effect from January 15 through February 14, 2002, with strong triggers on January 24th – 25th (Mars at 4 Aries, the Sun at 4 Aquarius) and January 28 through February 2 (tertiary progressed Moon at 4 Cancer).
All of the above suggest tremendous upheaval and crisis, especially during the period from January 6 to February 14, 2002. Not surprisingly, there are also indications of sorrow and frustration in the Israeli chart during December and January that begin to wane in February. In December we find Israel’s tertiary progressed Sun square natal Saturn, indicating resentment and frustration with events; in January it is the converse progressed Moon conjunct Saturn. The Moon Saturn suggests a sorrowful time, especially late in January.
After February 14th, most of the triggers indicating violence in the Israeli chart during this three-month period will have passed, although the progressed Mars square to natal Uranus remains very strong through March 1, 2002. (March 13-15 presents a final time for an activation of Mars/Uranus due to the position of the Sun at 24 Pisces and Mars at 9 Taurus.) With the tertiary progressed Sun moving into square of tertiary progressed Pluto (February through the 24th), feelings of distrust, suspicion, and a sense of a deep struggle for survival continue through the end of the month. It is also possible that this progression implies a profound sense of transformation and renewal for Israel.
Although the aspect of sudden crisis and violence that has been tormenting Israel for 18 months begins, finally, to wane by March 2002, it will not be all peace and tranquility thereafter. A rather disruptive and potentially violent transit begins in the second half of April 2002. This transit of Uranus opposite Israel’s natal Mars indicates some periods of great anger and disturbance, with possible military implications. However, I feel this transit will be far tamer than the above described period of December 2001 through February 2002. The second half of April 2002, through early July is the most marked period for the Uranus opposition to natal Mars. The final pass will be in the January/February period of 2003.
*Even a change of a few minutes in the birth time can throw the Midheaven progression off by several months. To coincide with the peak of the progressed Mars /Uranus square, the birth time needs to be 4:33 PM. Different sources give 4:30 and alternatively 4:37 as the correct time. But recent events suggest that the progressed Mars conjunct progressed Midheaven may be occurring during this December to March period.
