A school in the occupied West Bank has installed barbed wire fencing in response to an increase in settler attacks targeting Palestinian children. The measure comes as parents voice deepening concerns for their children's safety, with three pupils killed this year.
Haroon Bishara, whose sons attend the school, described the current situation as "not safe." He stated that parents come to the school to provide a sense of security for their children, but acknowledged that the escalating threat from settler violence is a constant worry. "We fear for our children more this year," Bishara said.
Instructions given to students by teachers emphasize a non-reactive approach if settlers or soldiers approach the school: "don't shout, don't go near them, don't react." This protocol highlights the perceived danger in the area.
Residents have reported a noticeable shift in settler activity and the response of Israeli forces. Abu Naem noted that settlers have moved closer to the village since April, with soldiers escorting them. "They have got closer to the village since April," he said. "We know the situation is not safe at the school."
Hadi al-Naasan, an ambulance driver in the village, observed a change in Israeli forces' behavior over the past year, correlating it with a rise in Palestinian casualties, including children. "At the beginning of 2025, settler attacks were few, due to the army's interventions," al-Naasan stated. "In 2026, the situation changed completely: the settlers became fully protected by the occupation soldiers. This year, the number of martyrs is higher, the number of injuries is also much higher – and the number of child injuries is higher too."
Some residents believe that settlers are deliberately targeting children to pressure Palestinian families into leaving their homes. A UN Commission of Inquiry report published in June corroborated these concerns, finding that settler attacks "have instrumentalized children, external as part of a broader coercive strategy to drive Palestinians off their land." The report detailed a pattern of settlers intentionally targeting Palestinian children in various everyday settings, transforming ordinary spaces into areas of fear.
Israel has dismissed the UN report as a "libellous sham." However, accounts from residents like sheep farmer Sami Abu Rahma illustrate the direct impact of these attacks. His nine-year-old son, Salim, was shot and injured by a settler while playing on the family's farm in late July, with the bullet remaining lodged in his arm.
All Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank are considered illegal under international law. Many of the makeshift settler outposts surrounding al-Mughayyir are also deemed illegal under Israeli law. Despite this, reports indicate that Israeli soldiers are increasingly supporting and enabling settler incursions into Palestinian villages, rather than removing illegal settlements.
Waheed Abu, the headteacher, stands by the school's newly installed barbed wire fencing, a visible symbol of the growing security concerns. 
