AMMAN, Jordan - The Jordanian government has begun revoking the citizenship of its Palestinian residents, who make up 70 percent of the population.

Jordanian authorities say they want to support the Palestinian right of return to their homes inside Israel as well to a future Palestinian state.

Under the guise of preserving the Jordanian national identity, the Hashemite Kingdom, ruled by King Abdullah II, has been in the process of "disengaging" from its Palestinian citizens.

"We should be thanked for taking this measure," Jordanian Interior Minister Nayef al-Kadi said.

"We are fulfilling our national duty because Israel wants to expel the Palestinians from their homeland," he said.

"We're not expelling anyone, nor are we revoking the citizenship of Jordanian nationals," al-Kadi told the London-based Arabic newspaper al-Hayat.

"We are only correcting the mistake that was created after Jordan's disengagement from the West Bank (Judea and Samaria). We want to highlight the true identity and nationality of every person," he told al-Hayat.

By revoking the citizenship of "Palestinians," Jordan will prevent Israel "from transferring more Palestinians to Jordan."

We insist that Jordan is not Palestine, just as Palestine is not Jordan," al-Kadi said.

Source: The Jerusalem Post