A Palestinian poet born in Nazareth, he began his political activity early and studied nursing in the Levant and then political economy and philosophy in Russia. He was a communist in his youth, and was elected a member of the Knesset and mayor of Nazareth for nearly two decades.
One of his poems was turned into a revolutionary anthem. He died in a tragic car accident, leaving behind a long legacy of struggle. His poems have been translated into different languages, and his works have been studied and analyzed by researchers.