Headlines for a day

For the first story - this is something fascinating and the story is just breaking:

Possible First Century Christian Lead Plates

One of the most significant features of the plates are their ties to ancient Christianity. It would make these documents the oldest Christian documents ever discovered in this region and can shed some new light into what some of these early believers taught and understood about the Gospel.

Ancient Sealed Metal Plates With Perhaps Secret Temple Texts Discovered in Middle East?

This find is interesting for a number of reasons:

-The books are written on metal plates (lead and copper)
-They are bound by rings on one side (also known as codices)
-Many of the books are “sealed” on all sides
-They appear to be from the first century AD, and may be the earliest Christian documents ever found
-Scholars have noted that, if authentic, this could be bigger than the discovery of the Dead Sea Scrolls
-They appear to be written in an archaic Hebrew script
-Some appears to be written in code
-The sealed nature, and code appearance of the text, suggests that these may contain “secret teachings,” perhaps even “Temple based documentation”
-A number of recognizable symbols appear, including the menorah (which can be seen in the photos above), branches, fruits, trees, and of the Feast of Tabernacles (Sukkot), associated with the enthronement rituals of ancient Davidic kings, and with the coming of the Messiah

More details from the BBC:

More Details About Ancient Metal Plates"

Some additional details include:

-There are 70 or so “books” or codices in this collection, each between 5-15 leaves made from lead, and bound with lead rings.
-The leaves are about the size of a credit card.
-Some experts and suggesting the books may have been made by early Christians in the years just following the crucifixion.
-There is uncertainty whether they are of Jewish or Christian origin, but several say there is evidence of Christian origin in the signs and symbols used in the books.
-Some purported symbols include a cross, a tomb, and the city of Jerusalem. A menorah is also seen as representing the holy of holies of the temple in Jerusalem, and the presence of God.

Ok, now the daily headlines:

Strategy to invade Israel posted on Facebook

Social-networking sites, specifically Facebook, are being used to promote a campaign that appears to target the very existence of Israel, with hundreds of thousands worldwide seeking to join in a plan to "return" to and take over the original homes of their families in "Palestine" on May 15.

...the idea being circulated is "for millions of Palestinian refugees to march en masse in return to the original homes of their families in Israel."

The movement's plans call for this to be much more than just a visit, however.

One page, "The 2011 March of Return," said, "The goal of [the Facebook] group … is to organize a march of millions, who, on May 15, 2011, will realize the Right of Return to Palestine in deed as well as in word."

Syria: Sound of a dictator preparing for a long battle

Syria's Assad: Israel, Foreign Media to Blame for Unrest

Israel fears the alternative if Syria's Assad falls

Israel deploys unique missile system

Deadly volcano that's one of the most dangerous on Earth

Church ad pulled from OC theater previews: Mentions Jesus

Libyan rebels sold Hizballah and Hamas chemical weapons

Senior Libyan rebel “officers” sold Hizballah and Hamas thousands of chemical shells from the stocks of mustard and nerve gas that fell into rebel hands when they overran Muammar Qaddafi’s military facilities in and around Benghazi, DEBKAfile’s exclusive military and intelligence sources report.

According to our sources, the rebels offloaded at least 2,000 artillery shells carrying mustard gas and 1,200 nerve gas shells for cash payment amounting to several million dollars.

It is also not clear whether the shells and gases were assembled upon delivery or were travelling in separate containers. Our sources report that some of the poison gas may be intended not only for artillery use but also for drones which Hizballah recently acquired from Iran.

This may be the most interesting development of the day. We know that Israel had already stated that they will consider the use of such weapons the same as any other WMD - and that Israel's response (if such weapons are used) will be the same as if a nuclear bomb was used against Israel.

This development will be worth following very closely.