Issa Jamil Kassissieh (born 1964) is a Palestinian scholar and diplomat, who since January 2017 serves as Palestinian ambassador to the Holy See and to the Sovereign Military Order of Malta.http://palvaticanembassy.org/sites/default/files/Issa%20Resume%20malta.pdf

Early life

Kassissieh was born in East Jerusalem into a Greek-Orthodox family. He studied English literature at

Bethlehem University Bethlehem University ( ar, جامعة بيت لحم) is a Catholic university in the city of Bethlehem in the West Bank, Palestine. It is the first university founded in the Occupied Palestinian Territories. History Established under Israel ...

, international relations at

Birzeit University Birzeit University (BZU; ar, جامعة بيرزيت) is a public university in the West Bank, in the State of Palestine, registered by the Palestinian Ministry of Social Affairs as charitable organization. It is accredited by the Ministry of Hi ...

, public administration at the

Kennedy School of Government The Harvard Kennedy School (HKS), officially the John F. Kennedy School of Government, is the school of public policy and government of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The school offers master's degrees in public policy, public a ...

and diplomacy at the

University of Birmingham The University of Birmingham (informally Birmingham University) is a Public university, public research university located in Edgbaston, Birmingham, United Kingdom. It received its royal charter in 1900 as a successor to Queen's College, Birmingha ...

Diplomatic career

Kassissieh served in various positions involving negotiations on behalf of the

PLO The Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO; ar, منظمة التحرير الفلسطينية, ') is a Palestinian nationalist political and militant organization founded in 1964 with the initial purpose of establishing Arab unity and s ...

and the

Palestinian Authority The Palestinian National Authority (PA or PNA; ar, السلطة الوطنية الفلسطينية '), commonly known as the Palestinian Authority and officially the State of Palestine,

. He served as director of International Relations department at the

Orient House Orient House ( ar, بيت الشرق ''bayt ʾal-šarq'', he, האוריינט האוס) is a building located in East Jerusalem that served as the headquarters of the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO) in the 1980s and 1990s. Built in 18 ...

Jerusalem Jerusalem (; he, יְרוּשָׁלַיִם ; ar, القُدس ) (combining the Biblical and common usage Arabic names); grc, Ἱερουσαλήμ/Ἰεροσόλυμα, Hierousalḗm/Hierosóluma; hy, Երուսաղեմ, Erusałēm. i ...

. Later, he joined the staff of Negotiations Affairs Department of the Palestinian Authority, and was mostly involved in negotiations with churches and on issues relating to the problem of Jerusalem. He was appointed Palestinian ambassador to the Holy See in January 2017.

References

External links

CV of Issa Kassissieh at the Palestinian Embassy to the Vatican website
1964 births Living people Date of birth missing (living people) People from Jerusalem Birzeit University alumni Alumni of the University of Birmingham Harvard Kennedy School alumni Ambassadors of the State of Palestine to the Holy See {{Palestine-diplomat-stub