Abu Dis Friday, 18 February 2005 AMObservers: Gali & Rotem A. (reporting) 09:20 – The Hotel – The road up to the hotel is being paved (alongside the wall). The first layer of asphalt has been laid. No other changes to be seen. We didn’t see any soldiers around the hotel itself.09:25 - The former pishpash gate – Taxi drivers reported that it was quiet today, no soldiers had showed up. The usual traffic of pedestrians though the monastery, as well as those climbing over the crossing at the side of the wall. A Border Police jeep passed by, without stopping.10:30 – The Container – A lot of traffic. Some taxis and Transit vans were delayed for 5-10 minutes. There were more soldiers (six) on the shift than in previous weeks.10:50 – an older woman and a young man with blue (Israeli) ID cards were denied passage.11:00 – A Transit van was delayed for 40 minutes. We asked the soldiers why, they said it was a routine check, and reminded us that we are forbidden to get closer to the checkpoint.We phoned H. from the District Coordination Office and reported the delay. The van was released some 20 minutes later.12:00 – We left