Amal Murkus

Amal Murkus was born in 1968 in Kafr Yasif

Murkus was born in 1968 in Kafr Yasif in the Galilee, to a Christian family. She is one of six daughters of Nimer Murkus, a leader of the Israeli communist party and head of the Kafr Yasif council. As a child she sang at Land Day and May Day gatherings with her parents.

She grew up speaking Arabic and learned Hebrew later. She studied acting at Beit Zvi and graduated in 1990.

In 1986 she sang "Shalom-Salam" with Alon Oleartchik at the Festigal. She acted in the TV series Neighbors and Rechov Sumsum, and in films such as The Milky Way and Cinema Sabaya. In 2003 she won the actress award at the Haifa Theatre Festival.

Her debut album Amal came out in 1998, and she later released her albums on her own. Her songs deal with social issues such as freedom, women's rights and homeland. She hosted a radio show on Ashams radio for twelve years.

She is married to Nizar Zreik, who works with her on her songs, and they have two children. In 2013 she was placed 26th on the Hadash list for the Knesset. In 2021 she won the Shulamit Aloni Prize for lifetime achievement.