Wordpress search page doesn't work with either $_GET or $_POST

Question

I'm trying to create a general search page. I've created a search page template and a new search page, and set the form's action to the URL of this page.

When I access the search page directly it fetches the right template, but when I try to send a form to this URL, be it via $_GET or $_POST, I am directed to the default index.php template.

Form code:

<form action="<?php echo get_permalink(359); ?>" method="GET">
               <input name="s" type="text" id="search_box">
               <input type="submit" value="submit" style="visibility:hidden;">      
           </form>

Search page code:

<?php // Template Name: חיפוש 
get_header(); ?>
<div id="search_page">
<?php

$search = new WP_Query(array('s'=>$_GET['s']));

if ($search->have_posts() ) : while ( $search->have_posts() ) : $search->the_post(); ?>
<h2><?php the_title(); ?></h2>
<?php the_excerpt();
endwhile; ?>
<!-- post navigation -->
<?php else: ?>
<!-- no posts found -->
<?php endif; ?>
?>  
</div><!--search_page-->
<?php
get_footer(); 

Answer 1

When a search is performed, the default query is no longer a page query, it becomes a search query. Refer to the template hierarchy to see how WP selects the template in this case. Rename the get var to something unique, or filter search_template to override WP's selection.