Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Sunday spoke of turning Israel into a nuclear power, apparently in a slip of the tongue, during a cabinet meeting before the mistake was corrected by a shy gesture and an embarrassing smile.

It is widely believed that Israel possesses a nuclear arsenal but has never responded in the negative or in the affirmative of whether it possesses nuclear weapons as it has for decades pursued a policy of secrecy on the issue.

Netanyahu made the mistake during the weekly cabinet meeting when he was reading predetermined comments in Hebrew regarding a deal with Greece and Cyprus to build a gas pipeline.

"The importance of this project is that we turn Israel into a nuclear power," he said, then quickly correct the mistake, adding "an energy force."

Netanyahu stopped talking for a moment and smiled, then continued his remarks.

The mistake that rarely comes from Netanyahu, one of the most experienced politicians in Israel, quickly spread on social media.

Netanyahu will strive to remain on the political stage in elections scheduled for March 2 after inconclusive elections in April and September. In November, charges of corruption were brought against Netanyahu, but he denies it.