Trump blithely announced a ceasefire in Lebanon despite neither Netanyahu or Hezbollah indicating they were in a mood to lay down arms. It was a precondition for Iran to open the Strait of Hormuz and presumably a platform for Trump to proclaim victory. Israel wants Hezbollah permanently disarmed and Hezbollah wants a withdrawal of all Israeli troops.
More than 2,100 people have been killed and 7,000 wounded in Israel’s attacks on Lebanon since 2 March, including at least 260 women and 172 children. Hezbollah attacks have killed two civilians in Israel over the same period, with 13 Israeli soldiers killed in combat in Lebanon.
Lebanon has been plagued by the Israeli-Palestinian conflict since the late 1940s. In the aftermath of the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, Lebanon became home to more than 110,000 Palestinian refugees. Additional Palestinian refugees arrived after the 1967 Arab–Israeli War. Thousands of Palestinian militiamen regrouped in Lebanon, led by Yasser Arafat’s Palestine Liberation Organization. Starting in 1968, Palestinian militants began to use southern Lebanon as a launching pad for attacks on Israel.
There has been an escalating cycle of attack and retaliation, leading to the chaos of the civil war, foreign invasions and international intervention. As of now approximately 222,000 to 300,000 Palestinian refugees reside in Lebanon now with over 90% living in poverty due to severe restrictions on employment and property ownership. Most live in 12 recognized camps, which are largely self-governed by Palestinian factions rather than the Lebanese state.
Not a background that inspires confidence about finding a peaceful solution any time soon, if ever.
There are various start charts for Lebanon and it is the 1 January 1944 12 am which seems to work best against previous events.
It is on a Neptune half return but it is the explosive, jolting tr Uranus conjunct the Mars Uranus in Gemini from August through October this year, again May 2027 and early 2028 which would be the worry. None of that looks settled and by 2028 the Solar Arc Sun opposes Neptune which will be discouraging and directionless.
Hezbollah came into existence in 1982 when the warmongering, tough-minded Saturn Pluto conjunction in Libra was in place as a response to the Israeli invasion of the country and siege of Beirut. Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Barak stated, “When we entered Lebanon … there was no Hezbollah. We were accepted with perfumed rice and flowers by the Shia in the south. It was our presence there that created Hezbollah.”
Inspired by the Iranian Revolution of 1979 Hezbollah established strong ties with Iran and its manifesto outlined its key objectives, including expelling Western influence from the region, destroying Israel, pledging allegiance to Iran’s supreme leader. It also emphasised Lebanese self-determination.
Their manifesto issued 16 February 1985 is the one date available which has a late Aquarius Sun Mercury square Saturn in obsessive Scorpio; with Pluto in a bullishly confident square to Jupiter in activist Aquarius; and a publicity-attracting Neptune square Mars Venus.
Assuming this date has validity, there looks to be continuing aggravation through 2027, peaking in 2028 which may be a turning point with a revision of their mission direction. 2023 looks lucky and relieved.
Israel’s relationship with the Hezbollah manifesto chart looks entangled again towards the end of this decade into 2030.
Israel’s relationship with Lebanon similarly looks under pressure towards 2030.
And so it goes on. And probably will keep doing so.
Palestinian refugees elsewhere: Jordan hosts over 2.39 million registered Palestine refugees, the largest such population in the world, with most holding Jordanian citizenship. While they have rights and access to services, many face poverty and rely on UNRWA support. Roughly 18% live in ten recognized camps. Syria 450,000. Egypt 100,000.
The post Lebanon – collateral damage first appeared on Astroinform with Marjorie Orr – Star4cast.
