Church of the Holy Sepulchre
Church of the Holy SepulchreFlash90

Christian leaders in Jerusalem said that they would on Wednesday reopen the ancient Church of the Holy Sepulchre, closed since the weekend in protest at Israeli tax measures which could affect businesses owned by local churches.

"We hereby announce that the Church of the Holy Sepulchre... will be reopened to the pilgrims tomorrow, February 28th, 2018 at 4:00 a.m.," said a joint statement issued on Tuesday night.

The announcement came hours after Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu's office said a "professional team" would be appointed to resolve the financial dispute.

The closure -- which seemed to be the longest since at least 1990 -- has left thousands of pilgrims and tourists seeking to visit the site locked outside.

The church is built where Christians believe Jesus was crucified, buried and resurrected. Custody of it is shared by the Greek Orthodox, Armenian and Roman Catholic denominations.

Tuesday's statement was signed by the heads of all three churches in the Holy Land.

"We... give thanks to God for the statement released earlier today by Prime Minister Netanyahu and offer our gratitude to all those who have worked tirelessly to uphold the Christian presence in Jerusalem," it said.

Christian leaders are in part angry over attempts by Israeli authorities in Jerusalem to enforce tax collection on church property they consider commercial, saying exemptions only apply to places of worship or religious teaching.

While churches, like all places of worship, remain exempt from paying municipal taxes, Christian leaders in Jerusalem argue businesses owned by local churches should also enjoy the tax benefits.