Israel plans to expel 30,000 Palestinians from south of the occupied territories in the course of five years.

The office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has drafted a plan to evict 30,000 Palestinians of the Bedouin community from the Negev desert to expanded areas of existing Negev Palestinian towns such as Rahat, Kseifa and Hura.

The plan is in line with recommendations made by the Goldberg Committee and will be put to vote in the Israeli cabinet in the coming weeks, Israeli daily Ha’aretz reported on Thursday.

The Goldberg Committee has been established by Israel to present recommendations regarding the Palestinian settlement in the Negev.

The plan is estimated to cost between USD 1.7 and USD 2.3 billion.

According to the project, Palestinians will receive replacement land of half the area they claim and will be compensated either with cash or with construction sites the state promises to develop.

Representatives of Palestinians and human rights organizations are scheduled to meet this weekend at Neveh Shalom. Bedouin leaders have threatened to take legal action to stop the plan if it is approved.

Leading Palestinian activist Awad Abu Farih has called the plan a disaster that will stoke up conflict between the Palestinian residents of the Negev.

Human rights activists also say the measure does not provide recognition of Bedouin natives and forces them to relocate against their will.

(Press TV)