The wish of world-renowned Palestinian artist and writer, Kamal Boullata, to be buried in his birthplace of Jerusalem will be carried out Aug. 19. Boullata died in Berlin Aug. 6 and will be buried in the Orthodox cemetery on Mount Zion, "next to his family and ancestors” in Jerusalem, according to a public statement from his family.

Maher Hanna, a Jerusalem-based lawyer, told Al-Monitor that after a week of strenuous effort, “Israel approved the request to have his body allowed into the country for the purpose of burial.” Hani Boullata, a relative of Kamal, told Al-Monitor that the Israeli shipping company has been cooperative. He expects to be able to secure the body from customs at Ben Gurion Airport. “We have done all the paperwork and paid the 400 shekel [$113] fee for getting the burial license,” he said.

Lily Farhoud, Kamal’s widow, said that the tensest time was when they did not know whether the Israelis would approve. Terry Boullata, who was with Lily in Berlin, said, “The hardest part was the fact that the Israeli Embassy in Berlin would not give a provisional approval, as we were providing them with all necessary documents.”

Palestinian lawyers in Jerusalem said that Jews who wish to be buried in Jerusalem often obtain approval within hours. “It took us more than a week to get the approval,” Hanna said.