Jerusalem's Church of Holy Sepulchre reopens after three-day protest
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem’s Old City reopened on Wednesday after a three-day closure to protest against Israeli tax measures and a proposed law.
The two men who act as keepers of the key of the church opened its large wooden doors at around 4:00 a.m., ending the protest that began on Sunday at noon, The Times of Israel reports.
The closure – which seemed to be the longest since at least 1990 – had left thousands of pilgrims and tourists seeking to visit locked outside.
Tuesday’s decision to call off the protest came after the Prime Minister’s office announced earlier in the day that it was suspending the tax collection and freezing the legislation until a newly formed committee – to be headed by Regional Cooperation Minister Tzachi Hanegbi — could work out the issues with the churches.
In addition to the Jerusalem Municipality suspending the tax collection actions it has taken in recent weeks, the government will also suspend all pending legislation regarding church land until the committee examines the issue, the Prime Minister’s Office announced, saying that the committee would work “with the participation of all relevant parties, to formulate a solution for the issue of municipal taxes on properties owned by churches that are not houses of worship.”