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BEERSHEBA (Ma'an) -- An Israeli court in Beersheba on Thursday extended the detention of a Palestinian activist who was arrested in August for protesting plans to displace Bedouin communities in the Negev.

Sayah al-Touri was arrested in August with three other activists from the Bedouin village of al-Araqib, which has been repeatedly demolished by Israeli forces.

On Wednesday, Israeli forces demolished the village for the 62nd time.

Awad Abu Freih, a member of the local committee of al-Araqib, told Ma'an that they will perform Friday prayers outside of the police station in Rahat to demand al-Touri's release.

The Islamic Movement in Israel denounced the detention of al-Touri.

There are about 260,000 Bedouin in Israel, mostly living in and around the Negev in the arid south. More than half live in unrecognized villages without utilities and many also live in extreme poverty.

The Israeli government in January approved the Prawer-Begin Bill, calling for the relocation of 30,000 - 40,000 Bedouin, the demolition of about 40 villages and the confiscation of more than 700,000 dunums of land in the Negev.

It was approved by parliament in a first reading in June, and two more votes on it are expected.