The major Christian churches have reopened the Church of the Holy Sepulchre on Wednesday morning, ending an almost three-day protest against the Jerusalem Municipality plans to impose taxes on church property, reported RIA Novosti news agency of Russia.

The protectors of this holy site have reopened its entrance to the pilgrims, after Israeli authorities have expressed willingness to start negotiations toward resolving the dispute over this taxation.

Representatives of the Greek Orthodox, Armenian Apostolic, and Roman Catholic Churches, which jointly administer over the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, have reopened its gates.

These three churches were the initiators of the aforementioned protest, as they refused to comply with the Jerusalem Municipality’s demand that they pay property tax on church-owned properties that are not used as houses of worship.

Jerusalem suspends tax measures that led to closure of Church of the Holy Sepulcher

The mayor of Jerusalem on Tuesday suspended a plan to tax properties owned by Christian churches, AP reported.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in a statement that a professional team would be established to negotiate with church officials to “formulate a solution.”

“As a result, the Jerusalem Municipality is suspending the collection actions it has taken in recent weeks,” the statement said.

As reported earlier, Greek-Orthodox, Armenian Orthodox and Catholics churches decided to take “unprecedented step” and closed the Church of the Holy Sepulcher as a measure of protest.

The Jerusalem authorities required paying municipal tax from all their real estate, having imposed a penalty for the previous years. Holy City authorities pursued $186 million for church taxes.