Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday it would be "unnecessary and wrong" to call snap polls, as he sought to hold his governing coalition together following the resignation of his defence minister.

"In a period of security sensitivity, it's unnecessary and wrong to go to elections," Netanyahu said at the start of a cabinet meeting. He noted past instances when right-wing governments had called elections that did not turn out as they had hoped. "We need to do whatever we can to avoid such mistakes," he said.