of accurate quantitative data. However, even considering socio-economic factors in the area, the lack of space and the absorption capacity of the Old City, a decrease in population from 7,500 in 1967 to 400 in 1996 (95 percent) is abnormal.264 Such a dramatic decline, in the absence of any major external causes such as natural disaster or a war, can only be explained by the Israeli enterprise targeting Palestinian presence in this area; the denial of basic and emergency services is a key contributing factor. “If any of us has a heart attack, we would die before the ambulance arrives. For instance, one of Tel Rumeida residents, Hashem al-Azzeh died after he inhaled tear gas. He would have been saved if he could have made it to the hospital sooner. But the ambulances don’t have any access to Tel Rumeida unless we coordinate with Red Cross. Then the Red Cross has to coordinate with the Israelis, and the Israelis coordinate with the soldiers at the checkpoints. The ambulance has to cross three checkpoints. It takes at least 15 minutes to reach Tel Rumeida. Last year [2016] alone, four people died because the ambulance couldn’t reach them on time. Last year [2016] as well, our neighbor’s house burned down because the fire truck had to wait until the coordination was done. Our house burned down last year too, when a settler threw a torch on it. They [the Israeli forces] refused to let the Palestinian fire truck in.” Abdul Majeed A. K., resident of the Old City. Interview: 25 February 2016 “We don’t have any kind of services here in the Old City. In summer for example, we suffer from lack of water. We only receive water every 15 days. The amount of water the colonizers use in the colonies in one day equals the amount of water we use in two months. Sometimes we don’t have any choice but to get water from the Ibrahimi Mosque by carrying it in small bottles. They [the colonizers] have a lot more services than we do. We also have a huge problem with the infrastructure. Whenever it rains, the streets of the Old City flood, we literally need boats to carry us. The water leaks into the shops and spoils the goods. The municipality of Hebron started to build infrastructure but the occupation [Israel] prevented it from continuing. Dividing Hebron into H1 and H2 has had many effects in our life, since the Palestinian Authority cannot provide us with the services they can provide to the Palestinians who live in the H1 part of the city.” Nasser G., resident of the Old City. Interview: 22 February 2016 264 Data collected by BADIL during field research. For more information, see, BADIL, FPT: Old City of Hebron, 9, supra note 254. 73