In a speech at the opening of the Knesset's winter session Rivlin warned against becoming overly entrenched in a set of political opinions and appeared to gently push back at Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's populist rhetoric, which has focused on security as the nation's largest threat.

"Victory in the battle between us means losing the war of existence," Rivlin said. "It's a greater threat than nuclear bombs or terrorism greater than the enemies who seek our destruction. The threat of internal division will always be the greatest threat of all."

Netanyahu, who spoke after Rivlin, has described terrorism and Iranian nuclear ambitions as existential threats to the state.