Abu DisThursday a.m. 13/01/05 Meara, Chana, Rochelle 1 guestOn our way to the container we made a stop at Ma'ale Adumim near the roundabout because of amount of cars waiting to pass. We spoke to one transit driver who had been waiting 1/2 hour. He said he was glad to see us because he was sure our presence would speed things up. Well in this instance he was correct. After standing there for a realtively short time the traffic starting moving. We continued on to the container and there was also quite a long line of cars and many detainees. Or our presence made a difference there also or the BP decided to speed things up on their own. We went to Abu Dis although even though there is hardly any people passing through there. The gate to monastery was open and some people were going through the garden by way of a tear in the barbed wire fencing. Because the tear was very small we so women with their heavy bags of vegetables, etc. lifting them up over a wall and then having to climb up themselves. A nearly impossible feat. They were not young women. We were sorry we had no camera with us.