Politicsרפיק חאג'-יחיא

Rafik Haj Yahia

Rafik Haj Yahia was an Israeli Arab politician who served as the first mayor of Tayibe and as a member of the Knesset from 1998 to 1999.

1949 to 2000First mayor of TayibeLabor Party Knesset memberCo-founding One Nation

Born: 3 September 1949, Taibe
Died: 16 April 2000, Israel
Occupation: politician, pedagogue
Party: Israeli Labor Party
Education: Bar-Ilan University

Rafik Haj Yahia was born in 1949 in Taibe

Rafik Haj Yahia was born in Tayibe on 3 September 1949.

He earned a BA in Hebrew language and education at Bar-Ilan University. He also trained as a teacher at a seminary for Arab teachers in Haifa.

From 1971 to 1980 he taught at an agricultural high school in Tayibe. From 1981 to 1988 he worked as a television reporter. He sat on the local council and in 1989 became the town's first mayor, a post he held until 1998.

He was also deputy head of the National Committee of Arab Local Authorities and of the Union of Local Authorities in Israel. In 1998 he entered the Knesset for the Labor Party, replacing Moshe Shahal, and resigned as mayor. In March 1999 he left Labor with Amir Peretz and Adisu Massala to form One Nation.

He lost his seat in the 1999 elections. He died on 16 April 2000.