Former Israeli prime minister Ehud Olmert and former defence minister Ehud Barak were spied on by British and US intelligence agencies, according to information leaked by Edward Snowden.

Documents released by the whistleblower reveal that the Israeli politicians were two in a list of over 1,000 prominent officials who were kept under surveillance from 2008 to 2009.

It is claimed that the agencies were keeping tabs on an email address called “Israeli prime minister”.

Mr Olmert confirmed to the New York Times that he had used the email address, but called it an “unimpressive target”.

He also said Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu had used the same email address when he took office.

The surveillance is also said to have stretched to Israeli drones and two Israeli embassies.