Issa Kassissieh
Issa Jamil Kassissieh (East Jerusalem, 1964 -) is a Palestinian scholar and diplomat, who since January 2017 serves as Palestinian ambassador to the Vatican.
Early life
Issa Kassissieh was born in East Jerusalem into a Greek-Orthodox family. He studied English literature at Bethlehem University. He also studied international relations at Birzeit University, public administration at the Kennedy School of Government and diplomacy at the University of Birmingham.
Diplomatic career
Kassissieh served in various positions involving negotiations on behalf of the PLO and the Palestinian Authority. He served as director of International Relations department at the Orient House. 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.