In fact, planning restrictions, as part of interim peace accords by Israeli and Palestinian negotiators two decades ago, widely limit locals' ability to build water infrastructure or repair damaged or polluted wells. In Hebron, efforts to lift the concrete slabs to release flooding and to open holes in the iron barrier built by the Occupation at the Souq has been slowed by Israel, facing the opposition from local groups and international organizations. The same happened with the design of a drainage and rainwater collection system which separates rainwater from waste water and helps to prevent flooding.

Thus, the barriers that limit the construction of infrastructures to avoid floods are related to the presence of Israeli settlements in the Old City, which makes it difficult to get permission to work. The closure of access roads to the Old City has made it difficult to bring in building materials.

During the second Intifada in 2000, when the Israeli military installed checkpoint 101, passages in the Old City including the main water drainage route were closed. The IDF also blocked an exit from the souk with a metal gate which causes the water to back up behind the gate and flood the shops above.

Therefore, and despite the efforts of local residents, shopkeepers and the municipality have been unable to open these passages or build a new drainage system. According to the Hebron Protocol signed in 1997, the Israelis control the Old City and the role of Palestinian authorities is limited, preventing the Hebron Municipality from improving the existing infrastructure.

This situation could improve significantly, if Israeli settlers opened the existing water drainage channels, or if they allowed the Hebron municipality to build an adequate drainage system and repaired the infrastructure in the Old City.

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