David Levy, a central figure for decades in Israeli politics and a former foreign minister and deputy prime minister, died on Sunday, officials said. He was 86.

"David Levy will go down in Israeli history as a symbol of national unity and social action who left his mark on society and the State of Israel," President Isaac Herzog said in a statement.

Born in Morocco in 1937, Levy came to Israel in 1959 and became a leading political and trade union leader and champion of Jews of North African origin, who claimed to be discriminated against.

From 1969 he served for 36 years in the Knesset, Israel's parliament.

He was appointed a minister in 1977, holding portfolios including immigration, labour, housing and foreign affairs, as well as deputy prime minister.

A rival of current Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, he ran against him for the Likud party leadership in 1992, but came second in the right-wing party's primaries.

Netanyahu on Sunday called Levy a "devoted public servant for decades".

"I collaborated with David in the Likud governments ... We did not always agree on everything, but I always appreciated his sense of mission," Netanyahu said in a statement.

In 1995, Levy set up his own party, Gesher, and joined Netanyahu's government through a coalition, later joining Ehud Barak's in 1999.

He returned to his post as deputy prime minister between 1996 and 2001.

Although considered as a candidate for the presidency after his political retirement, he did not run.

In 2018 Levy was awarded the prestigious Israel Prize for his contribution to society and to the country.

A father of 12, two of whom became members of the Knesset, he lived most of his life in the small northern town of Beit Shean.