Peace talks between Israeli Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian leader Mahmoud Abbas begin today following a summit between representatives of 40 different nations, including 14 Arab states. These talks are being led by President Bush, making this one of the weakest assemblages of rulers ever. All three leaders have an approval rating of somewhere between 25-35 percent and even if Abbas and Olmert are able to come to a resolution it is difficult to see how the terms could be implemented in their own countries.

The charts for Israel and Palestine are virtually identical except for the ascendants and the house structure. (For a more detailed look on the astrology of Israel and Palestine see my earlier article.) One of the more significant differences is that Mars in the Israeli chart falls in the tenth house of authority and national reputation along with a triple conjunction of the Moon, Pluto and Saturn which conjunct the Midheaven. Mars in the tenth house shows that warfare is a part of the national identity, and that has certainly been the case over the past 60 years. The Moon on the Midheaven conjunct Saturn and Pluto shows a deep-seated need for power and respect.

The Palestinian chart has these four planets in the seventh house of partnership and open enemies. Where Israel’s focus is on the entire world (10th house), for Palestine the focus is on the enemy (7th house). The Palestinians have no natural allies that would fall into the seventh house and instead they split into various factions which then play out the Mars dynamic and the desire for power of the Moon/Pluto/Saturn conjunction.

Pluto is square the progressed Mars for both Israel and Palestine now, and the individual desires of the countries (Mars) are being challenged by a greater power (Pluto). In many ways these peace talks have more to do with the Bush administration’s desire to remain relevant in the wake of its plummeting influence in the United States, but for Israel and Palestine the US is still a greater power represented by Pluto.

Still, transiting Mars retrograde now and Pluto, challenging the needs of both countries as represented by their progressed Mars, is preparing to enter Capricorn where it will turn governments upside down and inside out.

The planets have not given their blessing to these peace talks. The Moon will be in Leo during the talks where it will aspect Mars and the Leo conjunctions in the Israel and Palestinian chart. This will not be a time of cooperation, but of a demand for recognition on the part of both countries.