# The West Bank school under siege

> At Al Mughayyir boys’ school, lessons continue as roads close, settlers attack and pupils are killed.
- Title: The West Bank school under siege · the Guardian | Shortify
- Summary: At Al Mughayyir boys’ school, lessons continue as roads close, settlers attack and pupils are killed. A school can become a frontline when movement, safety…
- Keywords: al mughayyir boys’ school, west bank, waheed abu naim, emma graham-harrison, annie kelly, israeli soldiers, settlers, palestinian pupils, school attack, checkpoint, village siege, palestine
- Source: the Guardian — https://theguardian.com/news/audio/2026/sep/16/palestinian-school-al-mughayyir-under-siege-podcast
- Published: 2026-09-16T02:00:06+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: al mughayyir boys’ school, west bank, waheed abu naim, emma graham-harrison, annie kelly, israeli soldiers, settlers, palestinian pupils, school attack, checkpoint, village siege, palestine
## A teacher’s joy
Waheed Abu Naim teaches English at Al Mughayyir boys’ school. His happiest moments are simple ones, pupils waiting to greet him each morning.

> I am happy to be a teacher.
## A village cut off
The village is surrounded by settlers. The military has blocked every road but one, and that remaining route runs through a checkpoint.
## Teachers cannot arrive
Staff from nearby villages cannot always reach school. The pressure lands on classrooms before lessons even begin.
## A pupil killed
In April, a 14-year-old pupil was shot next to a playground gate. As Waheed rushed him to hospital, he learned his own brother had also been killed.
## Children in the line
Emma Graham-Harrison says hundreds of children have been killed by Israeli soldiers and settlers in recent years. A school full of pupils being targeted still feels especially shocking.

> there is something particularly horrific about someone taking aim at a school full of children.
## Fear of escalation
Four other students were killed too. Graham-Harrison expects violence to stay at the same level, or get worse, in the coming months.

> probably an escalation.
## Key takeaway

A school can become a frontline when movement, safety and daily life are squeezed by occupation and settler violence.