Jerusalem City Councilman Aryeh King led a protest outside the Headquarters of the United Nations Truce Supervision Organization (UNTSO) in the 'Government House' in the Armon Hanatziv neighborhood of Jerusalem.
The protest was organized by the Israel Land Fund. The protesters demonstrated against the UN's occupation of the premises without paying property taxes and the construction by the UN organization of illegal structures in Israel's capital.
Councilman King said at the protest: "They don’t pay arnona (Municipal Taxes) but use the Municipal services – they are modifying the entrance gate and the Government House Building without authorization from the municipality, both of which are listed buildings according to Israeli Law."
He added "in the last few months they have put up illegal buildings [without applying for construction permits or receiving any form of permission from the municipality or the State)."
The Government House served the residence of the High Commissioner of the British Mandate in the land of Israel, Lord Herbert Plumer. The International Red Cross took over the facility temporarily during the War of Independence in 1948 before turning the property over to the UN, which continued to manage the property in the No Man's Land between the Israeli and Jordanian controlled sections of Jerusalem. The Israeli government announced following the Six Day War that it was putting the Government House at the disposal of the UN, and the site has been under UN control ever since.