Mubarak told Thatcher King Hussain did not have the courage to curb Islamists’ influence after remarkable election gains, British documents reveal

Hosni Mubarak told the UK Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher that the King Hussain didn’t have enough courage to deny the Islamists –including the Muslim Brotherhood- the ability to widen their influence in Jordan, according to British documents. The declassified documents, accessed by MEMO to in the National Archives, reveal the late King was hesitant to take the “bold” action suggested by the late Egyptian President. During late 1980s and early 1990s, the Jordanian monarch faced growing challenges due to the increasing popularity of Islamists. In February 1989, Jordanians were invited, for the first time in 22 years, to vote in elections for a new House of Deputies, the lower house of parliament. Due to a 1963 ban on political parties, […]