Although he missed out on a seat in the 1996 elections after winning a place on the party's list, Haj Yahia entered the Knesset on 28 March 1998 as a replacement for Moshe Shahal. Upon taking his seat, he resigned his position as mayor of Tayibe. On 25 March 1999, Yahia, Amir Peretz and Adisu Massala broke away from the Labor Party to form One Nation.[1] He lost his seat in the 1999 elections and died the following year at the age of 50.