THE Palestinian Authority has agreed to the exhumation of Yasser Arafat's body after new allegations that he was poisoned with the radioactive element polonium-210 in 2004.

A Swiss institute that examined clothing provided by Mr Arafat's widow Suha as part of an Al Jazeera expose found "surprisingly" high levels of polonium-210.

The Palestinian administration said it would approve Suha Arafat's request to bring the former leader's remains up for autopsy from his limestone mausoleum in the West Bank city of Ramallah.

The findings stirred up old Palestinian suspicions Israel was behind the death of the 75-year-old ex-guerrilla. Israel has always denied any involvement in Mr Arafat's death.