Abu-Dis, Thursday afternoon, 6.04.06Observers: Dvora G., Dafna S. (reporting) Abu-Dis 15:00 At the lower Pishpesh a military-police jeep is parked, allowing a woman to cross between the piles of earth.At the upper Pishpesh near the monastery two soldiers check documents from time to time. A military jeep picks them up and then crossing is uninterrupted. One of the residents reports that a bus was taken to the Olives checkpoint an hour ago on instructions from the military police; he asks us to find out what happened to it.We drove to the Olives checkpoint — no bus, no people, the place is entirely empty. The Container 15:30 At least 6 vehicles are detained. The people claim that they have been waiting for more than an hour. One man approaches us and complains bitterly about the treatment he received from the humanitarian depot when previously detained at checkpoint 300, despite his permits and blue ID; he teaches both in Bethlehem and Jerusalem.A long line of vehicles waits until the soldier condescends to let him cross in the direction of Bethlehem. When we inquire about the delay we are told “turn to whoever you need to”… At that moments, A. appears and we ask him why it is necessary to delay the vehicles thus, detaining and releasing the traffic in stops and starts and causing unnecessary suffering. He replies that he has arrived to find out what’s going on. The taxis set off, documents are returned, even opening one more exit lane.The arriving workmen are required to cross at the carousel. We left when the traffic petered out.