Editing Hussein of Jordan (section)

===Involvement in peace initiatives===
When the PLO moved to Lebanon from Jordan after 1970, repeated attacks and counter-attacks occurred in southern Lebanon between the PLO and Israel.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=417}} Two major Israeli incursions into Lebanon occurred in [[1978 South Lebanon conflict|1978]], and the other in [[1982 Lebanon War|1982]], the latter conflict troubled Hussein as the IDF had laid siege to [[Beirut]].{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=417}} The PLO was to be expelled from Lebanon, and [[Ariel Sharon]], the Israeli Defense minister, suggested they be moved to Jordan where the monarchy would be toppled and Jordan would serve as an "alternative Palestinian homeland".{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=417}} Sharon boasted: "One speech by me will make King Hussein realize that the time has come to pack his bags."{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=417}} However, Arafat rejected Sharon's suggestion, and the fedayeen were transported to Tunisia under American cover.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=417}}
[[File:Jimmy Carter with King Hussein of Jordan the Shah of Iran and Shahbanou of Iran - NARA - 177332 04.jpg|thumb|left|Hussein with American president [[Jimmy Carter]], Iranian [[Shah]] [[Mohammad Reza Pahlavi]] and Shahbanou [[Farah Pahlavi|Farah]] (from left to right), 31 December 1977]]

In 1983 American president [[Ronald Reagan]] suggested a peace plan that became known as the Reagan plan, similar to Hussein's 1972 federation plan.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} Hussein and Arafat both agreed to the plan on 1 April, but the PLO's executive office rejected it.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} A year and a half later, a renewed effort by Hussein to jump start the peace process culminated in the establishment of a Jordan–PLO accord that sought a peaceful resolution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, an unprecedented milestone for the PLO and a Jordanian diplomatic victory.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} The accord was opposed by Israel and garnered no international support from either the United States or the Soviet Union.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} Around the same time, Hussein met Israel prime minister [[Shimon Peres]] on 19 July 1985 in the United Kingdom, where Peres assented to the accord, but later the rest of his government opposed it due to the PLO's involvement.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} Subsequent talks between the PLO and Jordan collapsed after the PLO refused to make concessions; in a speech Hussein announced that "after two long attempts, I and the government of Jordan hereby announce that we are unable to continue to coordinate politically with the PLO leadership until such time as their word becomes their bond, characterized by commitment, credibility and constancy."{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}}

Jordan started a crackdown on the PLO by closing their offices in Amman after the Israeli minister of defense, Yitzhak Rabin, requested it from Hussein in a secret meeting.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} Jordan announced a $1.3{{nbsp}}billion five-year development plan for the West Bank, in a bid to enhance its image in the West Bank residents at the expense of the PLO.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} Around the same time, Hussein became troubled after he heard that Israel had been selling American weapons to Iran, thereby lengthening the conflict between Iraq and Iran, both supporters of the PLO.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} The relationship between Hussein and Saddam became very close{{snd}}Hussein visited Baghdad 61 times between 1980 and 1990,{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} and Saddam used Hussein to relay messages to several countries, including the US and Britain.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} In June 1982, after Iran's victory seemed imminent, Hussein personally carried to Saddam sensitive photographic intelligence forwarded to him by the US.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} In return, Saddam provided incentives for Jordanian exports to Iraq, which accounted for a quarter of all Jordan's exports, valued at $212.3{{nbsp}}million in 1989.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} Iraqi aid helped Jordan's finances; Hussein had felt it humiliating to keep asking [[Arab states of the Persian Gulf|Gulf countries]] for assistance.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} Hussein made a little-known attempt to heal the rift between the two [[Ba'ath]] regimes of Iraq and Syria in April 1986.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} The meeting between Hafez al-Assad and Saddam Hussein occurred at an airbase in [[Al-Jafr, Jordan|Al-Jafr]] in the eastern Jordanian desert.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} The talks lasted for a day, after which no progress was made.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} Saddam was angry at Al-Assad for supporting Iran against an Arab country, Iraq,{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}} and Al-Assad was adamant about establishing a union between Iraq and Syria, which Saddam rejected.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=425–438}}

On 11 April 1987, after [[Yitzhak Shamir]] became prime minister of Israel, Hussein engaged in direct talks with Shamir's foreign minister, Peres, in London.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=440–452}} After reaching an agreement between Hussein and Peres on establishing an international peace conference, Shamir and the rest of the ministers in his cabinet rejected the proposal.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=440–452}} On [[1987 Arab League summit|8 November 1987]] Jordan hosted an Arab League summit; Hussein enjoyed good relations with rival Arab blocs, and he acted as conciliatory intermediate.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=440–452}} He helped mobilize Arab support for Iraq against Iran, and for Jordan's peace efforts, and helped to end the decade-long Arab boycott of Egypt{{snd}}a boycott that began after it unilaterally signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1979.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=440–452}} Hussein described the summit as one of the best moments in his life.{{sfn|Shlaim|2009|p=440–452}}