Jacob Walles is a U.S. diplomat who spent much of his career addressing the Arab-Israeli Conflict. In 2009, he became the Cyrus Vance fellow for diplomatic studies at the Council on Foreign Relations. In June 2010, he became Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near East Affairs. On December 14, 2011, President Obama nominated Walles to be Ambassador to the Tunisian Republic.[1]
His most recent overseas posting was as U.S. consul general and chief of mission in Jerusalem from July 2005 to August 2009.[2] In that capacity, Walles instructed Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas that the Hamas government was unacceptable. Walles's talking points said, "If you act along these lines, we'll support you both materially and politically."[3]
Walles also served in Greece and Holland.[4]
He was born in Wilmington, Delaware. Walles is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University.