On the first day of the new school year for Palestinians, Bassam Asaf, the principal of Al-Mughayer Boys' School, arrived at his workplace before dawn. As he passed by the newly installed barbed wire fences and reinforced gates of the school, the sun slowly rose among the olive trees surrounding this village, deep in the occupied West Bank.
Increased Fear and Concern Among Parents
Bassam Asaf told me, "We are afraid. The students are scared, and their parents are worried too." This year, the rising wave of settler violence against Palestinians has led to the deaths of six people in Al-Mughayer, three of whom were students of this school. One of them, 14-year-old Aws Al-Nassan, was shot dead by a settler in April in front of the school gate.
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Wahid Abunaim, an English teacher, is one of the witnesses from that day when his brother Jihad was also killed in the same attack by an Israeli soldier. He says, "I was inside the classroom when two young students rushed in to say that settlers were near the school wall." As he tried to move the students to a safe place, a settler shot at them.
Protective Measures and Feelings of Insecurity
After these incidents, parents' fears have increased, and some are reluctant to send their children to school. The school is located right on the edge of the village of Al-Mughayer, an isolated village in northeastern Ramallah, which has gradually been surrounded by Jewish settler outposts. To reassure parents, Bassam Asaf has installed a tall barbed wire fence around the school grounds, and groups of emergency response forces have been stationed on the road in front of the school.
Haroun Bishara, one of the parents, says, "I came because this makes the children feel that their parents are with them and they are safe." He also pointed out that this year they are more worried about their children and that the school is not safe.
While students were lined up in the yard, teachers repeatedly advised them: "If soldiers or settlers approach the school, do not shout and do not react."
Over time, settler behavior has changed, and they are getting closer to the village. Hadi Al-Nassan, an ambulance driver, says, "Last year, settler attacks were low due to military intervention, but this year the number of martyrs and injured has increased."
Sami Aburahma, a shepherd, also mentions that settlers are targeting children, saying, "Some of them deliberately target children to exert more pressure on the adults." Given this situation, families are entering the new school year with greater fear and concern.
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