Jacob Walles

Jake Walles began his assignment as Consul General and Chief of Mission in Jerusalem on July 20, 2005, a position he held until 2009. Previously, he served as Deputy Chief of Mission at the U.S. Embassy in Athens, Greece from June 2003 to July 2005. In this position, he coordinated U.S. involvement in the 2004 Athens Olympic Games.

Prior to his assignment in Greece, Mr. Walles served as Acting Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs from January to June 2001. During this period, Mr. Walles managed U.S. bilateral relations with Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, Syria and the Palestinians and coordinated efforts to promote peace in the Middle East. Previously, he served as the Director of the Office of Israel and Palestinian Affairs from 1998 to 2000 and as Deputy Principal Officer at the U.S. Consulate General in Jerusalem from 1996-1998.

From 1988 to 1996, Mr. Walles served in a number of other positions involving Middle Eastern affairs, including Special Assistant to the Under Secretary of State for Economic Affairs, Special Assistant for the Middle East Peace Process in the Bureau of Near Eastern Affairs and First Secretary at the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv. He was also assigned to the American Consulate General in Amsterdam from 1982 to 1984.

Mr. Walles is a career member of the Senior Foreign Service with the rank of Minister Counselor. From September 2001 to June 2002, he was a member of the 44th Senior Seminar at the State Department. Mr. Walles also received the Department’s Superior Honor Award in 1994 and again in 2001 for his work in promoting peace in the Middle East.

Mr. Walles was born in Wilmington, Delaware and is a graduate of Wesleyan University and the School of Advanced International Studies of Johns Hopkins University.

He was appointed Ambassador to Tunisia in 2011.

Sources: U.S. Department of State