KGB agent

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas 'was KGB agent'

Mr Abbas was listed as an "agent of the KGB" in a report smuggled to the UK by defector Vasily Mitrokhin, according to Gideon Remez and Isabella Ginor.

The president's spokesman described the claim as an absurd Israeli "smear".

It comes as Russia attempts to organise a meeting between Mr Abbas and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The Palestinian leader said earlier this week that he had agreed to see Mr Netanyahu in Moscow on Friday, but that Israeli officials had asked to delay until an unspecified later date.