Warmongers: The Striking Similarities Between Putin and Netanyahu
Woman with Dead Child. Kathe Kollwitz
No child should be part of any conflict — ever.
So far, at least 20,000 Ukrainian children have been abducted and taken for “re-education” into the heart of Russia. Meanwhile, at least 17,000 Palestinian children have been killed outright by the Israeli military in the last 18 months. This is not to mention the countless children maimed and orphaned in these places.
Furthermore, the Israeli and Russian governments continue to send the children of their own people to commit soul-damaging violence. This latter is moral injury.
There are other wars. There are other places where children are dragged into battle, corrupted, abused. These ones, in Ukraine and the Middle East, on the edges of Europe are both continuations of conflicts that began a long time ago; they are both, to some extent, colonial; and they are both being prosecuted by specific individuals against entire peoples.
Vladimir Putin and Benjamin Netanyahu have a lot in common astrologically.• They were born just three years apart, so many of the outer planets are in similar positions. Both have the Sun in Libra, and a collection of other planets in that sign too. Both, according to the available birth times, have Venus, the planet of peace, rising.
It seems counterintuitive, doesn’t it? Libra is the sign of the scales, justice and Venus is the planet of harmony. So let’s enquire.
Benjamin Netanyahu
The current Prime Minister of Israel was born on an eclipse on 21 October, 1949, and under a conjunction of two warrior planets — Mars and Pluto — in Leo. Netanyahu’s Mars lines up with the Mars of Israel herself. Mars and Pluto together in a chart are often a signature of violence or aggression, and in Leo, this can be performative. In the 9th house, this could be around foreigners, outsiders, religion. Netanyahu’s interpretation of his own religion certainly seems to be both violent and entitled.
Benjamin Netanyahu’s chart. Source: Astrotheme
Netanyahu may have a victim complex, with Chiron right on his Sagittarius ascendant. Chiron often shows us where we have a wound that can never be fully healed. For him, it’s just behind the eyes. He sees the world through a wounded veil, but the mask he wears is Venus, and indeed, she blessed him with good looks. Venus here offers her protection, and in this chart Venus is “out of bounds”, that means behaving in a free-wheeling way. Although Sagittarius is not one of the classic “warrior” signs, it is the only sign of the Zodiac depicted bearing arms, the bow and arrow. It is the sign of the hunter, and sometimes the keeper of the armoury.
Vladimir Putin
Appropriately for a person who started his career in the Soviet Union’s spy organisation, the KGB, the President of Russia, has a busy twelfth house, a place where you can hide, just behind the scenes; and his information-gathering Gemini Moon is in the 8th House of secrets.
The natal chart of Vladimir Putin. Source: astro.com
Scorpio Rising sees the world “through a glass darkly”. At its worst, it can be paranoid, manipulative and cruel. Scorpio-Taurus is the money axis and he has expansive Jupiter in Taurus, which can be grasping, opposing Venus in Scorpio, a love of money and power.
Like Netanyahu, Putin was born with the rulers of Scorpio, and therefore his chart rulers, Mars and Pluto in good relationship, trining each other from Sagittarius to Leo. Again this can be fiery and aggressive. Interestingly, Putin’s Sagittarius Mars makes a perfect trine to Netanyahu’s Leo Mars. Putin’s Mars is also “out of bounds” — which can have quite a literal interpretation, that the planet of war does not obey the normal rules or stay within normal boundaries.
Russia may have a weak economy, but it is powerful because of its nuclear arsenal — that is Mars in the second house (possessions) in the sign of the Archer.
Also like Netanyahu, Putin has a big stellium in Libra, and Libra’s ruler, Venus in the first house.
Venus and War
Venus is, of course, the planet of love and beauty, money and luxury in the Western and Vedic traditions, but she is also, in some cultures — Mayan, Central Asian, Babylonian — a planet of war. Indeed, our astrology traces its roots back to the ancient Near East, where she is associated with Inanna, goddess of love AND war, life and death. This looks like evidence that this is a valid way of looking at her. In both charts, this is Venus as the Evening Star, Hesperus, associated with much more self-control than the morning star.
When you have a a planet close to the Ascendant or the midheaven, it can act as a kind of guardian — especially Jupiter and Venus. Both men are incredible political survivors. Their careers in leadership started around the same time in the mid-90s. Netanyahu, in particular, seems to be able to survive repeated efforts in Israel to get rid of him. Indeed, if he loses office, he will be back in court.
Libra features so strongly in these charts too. This is a sign that is definitely associated with politics. You need simply note the quantity of politicians with a Libran Sun. As holder of the scales, Libra is associated with justice, the law and courts; taking sides, debating. Libra is on an axis across the sky with Aries, the actual sign of war. So traditionally, Libra is often associated with civilisation and peace, while Aries is associated with fighting.
However, like all opposite signs, Libra can flip into Aries, just as Virgo can flip into Pisces or Leo into Aquarius. One sign looks into the other and mimics its worst moves. This often becomes obvious in the way we treat partners — or enemies. A Pisces person may find themselves slipping into Virgo nit-picking, or a Virgo into Pisces’ undermining, for example. Taurus can slip into Scorpio cruelty and Scorpio into Taurean self-indulgence, as another example.
Clearly, in the case of these two Librans, Libra flips into aggression.
Another shared signature in these charts is a conjunction of Neptune and Mercury in Libra. Neptune and Mercury together conjure stories, truth and lies twist together. Both men’s are known for their slippery communications, and also for creating global webs of lies. The truth is movable: whatever works, fits the ideology, fits one side of the story. It’s a lawyer’s truth, designed to create a lopsided narrative.
Mercury also represents young people, and Neptune is the planet of sacrifice. And here is the real story: the sacrifice of vast numbers of young people that these men have caused. And it is repeated again in another shared signature.
Both have a nodal conjunction with Black Moon Lilith. As you know, Lilith, like all astrological points is something we host in ourselves, and she can manifest well or badly. She is the midwife of death, and the creator of millions, the outsider and the moon dancer. But simply, in the Hebrew tradition, she is a killer of babies. There are multiple antique examples of incantations and spells written in bowls and on parchment from Persia to Poland, warding off this demoness from the cribs of babes.
Netanyahu has Lilith conjoining his North Node in Aries — and opposing the Moon. Remember he was born on an eclipse. He is personally responsible for the eclipsing of all those children. As is Putin, who has Lilith directly on his midheaven conjoining his South Node, a place of disappearance, in Leo.
•We have charts for Benjamin Netanyahu, Israel’s Prime Minister, and Vladimir Putin, Russia’s President. Neither is 100 per cent certain, but this would likely only change the ascendants.
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I am sorry that you have departed from astrology into judgment. Or should I say judgementalness? . Besides, any one of us could have a chart like Hitler and not do the same as he did. What do we do with that little slice of eternity called the birth chart? That is our material for this life?. It’s not that I object to your opinions, I don’t at all. But for me you have projected your opinions into the charts. All media stuff. We simply don’t know the true story and can’t have confidence that the media tells the truth. For this reason it is very hard to make a proper judgement.
Reading an astrological chart is actually called “making a judgment” traditionally. And I completely stand by this article both morally and astrologically.
Fascinating article and the astrology backs up everything. Always thought provoking insights which I appreciate. Thank you Christina
The astrology is pretty blunt!
It is good that you stand by it. We all need to stand by what we say and feel. For my part no judgement could’ be made because the information was selective. That is, it was judgemental but missing the judgement. And thus might have been freer of impulse. But the, perhaps we had different impulses !!! But still, it is my feeling we must go beyond the subjective in public. I have respect for your work and your experience. But I too have my side and stand by it. At this point dialogue might proceed.
They both have Mars the planet of war at the last degrees. Netanyahu also has the Sun there. So both will fight till the end.
Unfortunately, I think you are right.
Christina I am always impressed by your creative impulse to explore what would seem like an obvious comparison only after YOU are inspired to look. Love to think of these two massively influential men as having such evidential astrological similarities. An excellent teaching tool.
Thank you, Andrea. You are correct about my methods!
Hi Christana,
Very interesting on both leaders in not achieving the higher good for mankind it so tragic that the planets almost encourage this behaviour. The world is so massively corrupt and yet so beautiful. I can only hope it will change under the coming planetary changes over the next few decades !!
Just watching Beethoven 9th beautiful words and sublime music.
Yes. Let’s hope this is an end of an era. And the start of something better.
Interesting, I share Putin’s chart but with
Cancer rising conjunct Uranus. Your description of Putin’s placements is fascinating but shows how much an Ascendant matters in how energy is manifest. Thank you
Also — even someone with the same ascendant might have worked the same chart in a different way. There are always choices.
There is going to be tremendous change and a lot of people will not like it. The liberal world order has far more enemies – both within and without – than it realizes. As much as people hate strongmen like Putin, Kim, Xi, Netanyahu and Trump, what they have set in motion will long outlive them. The world is setting itself ablaze and the delicate sensitivities of this age will be among the first things to succumb to the wall of flame.
Don’t be surprised if things you once thought sacrosanct – including what rights/supports you may currently enjoy as a woman or minority – get unceremoniously swept out with the tide.
Charlie Kirk was murdered today, and while I disagree with his backwards views, I feel deep condolences for his family. Those thinking of his passing as some sort of victory fail to understand the deeper implications of this tragic turn. Violence begets violence. Rage begets rage. As much as I would like to think that the progressive sisterhood would forge an amazonian show of defiance, I know history is replete with brave women brutally beaten into abject submission.
I shudder to contemplate what kind of monster rises to fill in the vaccum left by Kirk. I shudder to see what kinds of monstrous figures arise in this growing darkness. It must have felt like this at the end of every great empire, but that is our lot to bear. To bear, is our lot and our gift, our strength. The caregivers among humanity, we bear – may it be children, emotional labor, iniquity, abuse or any combination of the above. We bear unfailingly, unceasingly, unceremoniously. Ours is a quiet strength. It will serve us in the age to come.
Putins birthdate is entirely contested. Given the circumstance of his birth there are many reports that he was born in 1950.
Nor is it uncomonn for dictators to shave years off, and he was brought up by the KGB.
Rodden rates it DD or Dirty Data.. Its crucial to work with accurate data, otherwise Astrology becomes meaningless or a kind of propoganda .
Pertinent give Saturns back in Pisces which rules propoganda along with fake news and as the opposite of Vrgo lack of accuracy and truth.. We have just seen that play out with
Charlie Kirkand the ensuing collective hysteria.
Putins birthdate is contested. Given the circumstance of his birth there are many reports that he was born in 1950.
Its not unusual for dictators to shave years off, and he was brought up by the KGB.
Rodden rates it DD or Dirty Data.. Its crucial to work with accurate data, otherwise Astrology becomes meaningless or a kind of propoganda .
Pertinent given Saturn is back in Pisces which rules propoganda along with fake news and as the opposite of Vrgo lack of accuracy and truth.. We have just seen that play out with
Charlie Kirk and the resultant collective hysteria.
Reply
Putin’s birthdate is contested, as I mention in the footnote. In fact Netanyahu’s is not totally certain either.. However, that does not mean we should ignore this chart. This is his chosen birthdate, which immediately makes it significant. There is weight to this chart because it is his public face. Astrology is not a rigid science, As Geoffrey Cornelius points out in the Moment of Astrology, the “wrong’ chart sometimes gives an accurate reading because of that moment of astrology. It’s a curious thing that most astrologers’ have an example of a time they gave a whole reading, which was stunningly accurate, only to find they had the wrong data.
Here’s another example of astro-flexiblity: I have several clients who, through extraordinary life circumstances, were reborn because of a geographical move. And I have found that adjusting their birth charts to the new place creates a birth chart that works much better for timing life events.
[…] That October, during Libra season, in Leningrad, a factory worker Maria Ivanovna Putina, gave birth to a baby boy, whom she named Vladimir. […]