Mercury, Jupiter Announce Gaza Ceasefire

Dear Friend and Reader:

A ceasefire in the Gaza Strip was initiated Sunday, first by Israel, then by Hamas. This ceasefire comes after a 22-day war which has left 1,2oo Palestinians and 13 Israelis dead. Peace talks took place between Palestinian and Egyptian leaders while at an Egyptian Red Sea resort, Arab and European leaders came together to hammer out a more durable, long-lasting plan for peace between Israel and Gaza. This news occurred while retrograde Mercury moved into a conjunction with Jupiter in Aquarius.

In this article published at the outset of this latest round of fighting, we predicted that as Mercury stationed retrograde, the Israeli Army would withdraw. We were off by a week, but it seemed like Israel could not quite maintain its onslaught. From an astrological standpoint what we need to remember is that agreements made under Mercury retrograde generally must be renegotiated after Mercury stations direct.

This feels like a ridiculous statement in this situation, because the conflict goes back at least 5,000 years. But let’s look at the current astrology and see if it offers us any insight.

When the chart for the beginning of the ceasefire was cast, Mercury was in a conjunction with Jupiter in Aquarius. Jupiter in Aquarius has a lot to do with being able to relate to people, including those of different cultures or worldview. Jupiter expands everything, and Aquarius is the sign of the tribe. A feeling of global unification is apropos of Jupiter in Aquarius, and this feeling is going around at the moment.

In this case, Jupiter in Aquarius looks like a picture of Israel waking up and realizing they are part of the bigger world, and the world has been quite vocal in its disapproval of Israel’s activities.

The Moon in any historic chart plays an important role in showing the tenor of the public chart. At the time of the ceasefire, the Moon was in Libra crossing the ascendant of Israel’s natal chart. We have an image of Israel “remembering its true nature,” which is arguable more peaceful than warrior-like.

The Moon was also in an exact trine with the Part of Fortune in the ceasefire chart, which is a point used to calculate one’s fortunes. This is a symbol an opportunity. But it’s a fast-moving opportunity. We all know that any one of these skirmishes can break out into a much larger crisis — some people fear World War III every time there is a new battle in that region. Therefore every small opportunity for peace can be seen as a chance to save the entire planet a major crisis.

With a new American president entering office tomorrow, one who ran on the ticket of hope and an end to war, Isreal is showing a little respect for the country that pays for its military. For the past two months, nobody has really been president, a situation that Israel could take advantage of.

In the United States, anyway, there is a mood of unity and a growing sense of community. It seems to have sprouted like a mushroom: we’re putting down our swords, for the time being anyway, in honor of this moment.

Even Israel, whose independence chart indicates a uniquely visible role in the world, has acquiesced to a temporary ceasefire. The keyword here is “temporary” — we don’t know how long it will last, or who will cast the next stone, who will retaliate and at what proportion. What’s most interesting about this is that the conflict is as old as the soil it’s fought on. Why does it have such levity now?

I don’t dismiss the relentless violence and the deaths from the past weeks in Gaza. But we can’t deny that it’s magnified, and I think that’s because it’s acting out in front of a backdrop of peace and promise. The last few moments of Bush’s presidency have reflected his eight years of power. A new era is coming now, and President Obama is merely a part of it. It’s up to us, it’s up to Israel, it’s up to Palestine to contribute to a new world order: the real thing, a commitment to getting along with one another.

Til next time,
Genevieve Salerno with Eric Francis