ANNAPOLIS, Md. (AP) — Activists of diverse views and faiths awaited the opening of Tuesday's Mideast peace conference, hoping to make enough noise outside the U.S. Naval Academy gates to influence public opinion, if not the negotiations inside.

Conservative and liberal Jewish activists, Palestinians, Christians and others planned demonstrations throughout the day.

The campus remained closed to general visitors for a second day. Three city streets outside the academy gates were to be closed, and restrictions were announced on both the waterways that nearly surround the school and the airspace above it.

The State Highway Administration warned drivers Tuesday to avoid possible congestion on highways leading to the host city as state police were to escort diplomats' motorcades from Washington to Annapolis. But the only snarl during the morning rush hour was a fender-bender on the Severn River Bridge that was unrelated to the conference traffic.

Edgar Moreno, assistant director of domestic operations for the State Department's Diplomatic Security office, said intelligence reports did not indicate there would be ''significant numbers'' of demonstrators.

''We do have plans in place to deal with demonstrators,'' he said. ''If everything is done in a lawful manner, there shouldn't be any problem at all.''

Meanwhile, Gov. Martin O'Malley planned to host the Israeli delegation, including Prime Minister Ehud Olmert, for lunch at the governor's mansion. An O'Malley spokesman said a light, kosher meal was planned.

Christian Ronald D. Beals, secretary-treasurer of the East Texas Biblical Prophecy Forum, wore a yarmulke Monday at Kneseth Israel Congregation's kosher lunch after coming from Tyler, Texas, to join those protesting the conference.

''I'm hoping to wake up our leadership to the fact that there are many people in this land who do not agree with the division of Israel and the division of Jerusalem,'' Beals said.