BETHLEHEM-Ma'an: An Israeli organization has announced plans to bring more than 2,500 Jewish Americans and Canadians to Israel this summer, as it seeks to resettle the new arrivals in areas with high Palestinian populations.

The organization, Nefesh B'nefesh, which promotes Aliyah, or Jewish-only immigration to Israel, said it would cooperate with the Jewish Agency and Israel's migration ministry to arrange for the new arrivals, the organization's website said.

The first group of 245 immigrants is set to land on Tuesday, July 12 at Ben Gurion airport in Israel, the organization said.

Nefesh B'nefesh recently launched a project encouraging the resettlement of immigrants in the northern region of Israel where there is a high concentration of Palestinians, a step observers say is an attempt to change the demographic features of the area.

The Palestinian population of Israel constitutes roughly 20 percent of the country.

As the proclaimed state of the Jewish people, Palestinian Arabs remain second-class citizens in Israel, according to rights organizations.