By Talila Stan
English Editor Marianne Meisels

This article is devoted to the string of eclipses taking place during the closing years of the century and the millennium, starting with the full solar eclipse of October 1995 (which foreshadowed the assassination of Israel's Prime Minister Rabin) through the partial eclipses that followed it - culminating in the last full solar eclipse to take place in this century and millennium: the total eclipse of August 1000, and its influence both on Israel and on future global events.

Some Words About the Meaning of Solar Eclipses As in political astrology the Sun stands for the Head of State, the Sun's eclipse may be interpreted as a mental eclipse and diminishing lucidity (*1) , resulting in fatal mistakes committed by Heads of State. In extreme cases - as when there is a full solar eclipse and the world is suddenly plunged into darkness - the Sun's eclipse could be reflected, as traditional astrology teaches us, in the extinguishing of the light-flame of whoever represents the Sun on the mundane sphere (* 2).

In most cases, the events indicated by the eclipse occur within a fortnight - until the Moon, which at the time of the eclipse was a New Moon, becomes full (*3), thus full-filling the ominous promise. A moot question arises - why did the solar eclipse of October 24th 1995, actually a world event, express itself so drastically in Israel of all places, where Prime Minister Rabin was assassinated on November 4th 1995, eleven days after the eclipse? The answer: the solar eclipse fell on the Libra-Scorpio cusp (0%18' Scorpio) right on Israel's Ascendant (*4).

The Fatal Eclipse
Oct. 24, 1995 at 6:36 a.m. Israel time (chart calculated for Jerusalem)

The eclipse, i.e. the exact conjunction between the Sun and Moon, forms 3 difficult aspects:

# A semi-sextile to the Mars/Pluto conjunction
# A semi-square to Jupiter
# A square to the Neptune/Uranus conjunction

These aspects triggered the potential violence that lies at the core of every eclipse. A particular danger looms in the Mars/Pluto conjunction, symbolic of hostile underground activity; while falling on the cusp of Scorpio (extremism) and Sagittarius (ideology) it signifies religious fanaticism (*5). Furthermore, the problematic aspect with Jupiter (faith) in Sagittarius hints at an ideological motive behind the murderous deed.

The aspect of Uranus, which stands for sudden upheavals, heralded the dramatic change that took place shortly afterwards in the government - Uranus being in Capricorn, the Sign of authority and administration.

Elusive Neptune conjunct Uranus hints at the euphoria prior to the assassination of Rabin (Neptune is before Uranus). Neptune, being the planet of illusion as well as the significator of a sacrificial victim, symbolizes the atmosphere of chaos on the eve of Rabin's assassination - which made him an easy prey.

Neptune here also stands for the conflicting rumours following the shooting, before the tragic details became clear. And, not unlike other cases of death in which Neptune is involved, such as the case of Marilyn Monroe, rumors regarding a mysterious intrigue began to circulate.

After Rabin's assassination, Shimon Peres (who was highly esteemed as the driving force behind the Peace Process and was Rabin's deputy) became the head of a transition government and it was taken for granted that he would easily win the coming elections in May, 1996, and that Israel would then continue on the road to peace. But something was soon to cast a dark shadow on this bright picture.

The Eclipse of Shimon Peres

Towards the end of '95 and in early '96 I gave interviews to the Israeli media in which I warned Shimon Peres to beware of hasty actions on the 17th of April 1996:

"On April 17th expect a dramatic event followed by stormy days, changes and upheavals." ("Yediot Aharonot", December 31, 1995)

"A partial solar eclipse on April 17th, signifies problems for the Prime Minister." ("At", Hebrew monthly, April 1, 1996)

And indeed, on April 18th, disaster struck Kfar-Kana (a Lebanese village) when an Israeli bomb fell on a house in which some 100 villagers had sought refuge. In the wake of this tragic event many of Peres' supporters decided not to vote for him - thus causing him to lose the election to his opponent, Benyamin Netanyahu, by a mere 30 thousand votes.

I also foresaw that whatever began on April 17th would recur every fortnight: "The stress will culminate every fortnight - at the times of the New and the Full Moon. It will be strongest during the two months following the eclipse." ("At", Hebrew monthly, April 1, 1996)

And indeed, the elections were held on May 29th, 1996, exactly six weeks following the eclipse - in other words, after 3 fortnightly cycles.

The Eclipse of Netanyahu

In an interview that was published in the Hebrew daily "Ma'ariv", on September 5th 1996, I said:

"On the last week of September it will be hard for Netanyahu 'to see light and do right', as his judgement will be eclipsed".

Netanyahu's decision to open the "Kotel Tunnel" on September 23 ('96) created an outburst of violence and bloodshed, which nearly put an end to the Peace Process.

The Eclipse of Bill Clinton

The full solar eclipse of August 22, 1998 occurring in 28 Leo, "fell" on President Clinton's Sun in 26 Leo, foreshadowing the humiliating experience Clinton underwent a few days later when he was forced to confess in public to having had an "inappropriate relationship" with Monica Lewinsky - a confession that started the impeachment proceedings which could have led to his being removed from the office of the presidency (*6).

Thus, Clinton's endeavor to save the ailing Peace Process at the Wye Plantation Peace Summit which he organized in October '98, had little chance of success in the face of the fierce opponents of the Peace Process who took advantage of the President's weakened position. Netanyahu, who has been threatened by members of his right wing party that they would overthrow him should he not "stand firm and keep an erect backbone" (the eclipse highlighted Israel's Mars in 28 Leo), sabotaged Clinton's peace making efforts, and thus brought the process to a dead-end precisely 7 weeks after signing the agreements at Wye Plantation, exactly as I had foretold (*7).

Thus we can see how the full solar eclipse of October '95, that heralded the assassination of Rabin, was the beginning of a series of eclipses which were paralleled by the following events # The partial solar eclipse of April '96, which presaged the downfall of Prime Minister Peres in the elections that took place on the following month.
# The partial solar eclipse of September '96, followed by the crisis in the Peace Process.
# The full solar eclipse of August '98 followed by the final collapse of the Peace Process.

This series of eclipses will culminate with the ultimate solar eclipse of the century and the millenium - the last total solar eclipse due to take place on August 11th, 1999, forming a spectacular and awe-inspiring constellation: a celestial Grand-cross with Uranus, Saturn and Mars in the midst of which the planet Earth is crucified in the black shadow of the eclipse. The eclipse will occur in the Sign of Leo, while Saturn, Mars and Uranus will be positioned in Taurus, Scorpio and Aquarius, that is the LION, the OX, the EAGLE and the MAN - the creatures of the Apocalypse; a spectacle which seems to be taken from the New Testament Book of Revelation describing Christ's return on Judgement Day, and which brings to mind Nostradamus' terrifying prophecy for the year 1999.

This awe-some celestial configuration evokes the primeval dread of doomsday and seems to justify the apocalyptic myth associated with the close of the millennium. The eclipse which will take place in 18 Leo at the apex of the Grand Celestial Cross, will "fall" on Israel's Saturn in 16 Leo, signifying that Israel may have a heavy cross to bear.