The decision issued by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) on July 14, is of great importance not because it was a verdict by United Nations top court, but because it obliges the blockading countries to abide by international law, which they have ignored frequently.
When air, sea and land blockade was imposed in June 2017 on Qatar, and Qatari aircraft were prevented from entering airspace of the blockading countries, Qatar called for negotiations but its calls were ignored and then it decided to fight the blockade by taking the case to the ICAO.
The four blockading countries claimed that the ICJ only has the authority to decide on the dispute, arguing that the case is related to protection of their security and goes beyond just being a civil aviation matter.
But as expected the ICJ ruled that Qatar has the right to challenge airspace restrictions imposed by the quartet before the UN’s aviation body-ICAO. The decision has validated the credibility of Qatar’s claim and its strong legal position to fight the illegal measures taken to harm its interest and undermine its sovereignty. The importance of the decision also lies in the fact that it was issued unanimously by the court judges who rejected the appeal questioning the jurisdiction of ICAO.
More than three years have passed since the blockading countries have kept attempting to evade and circumvent international law, but this decision was a blow in the face of these countries and humiliation for them at a global platform.
In light of the ICJ decision, the ICAO Council will resume its proceedings and Qatar is confident of its legal position as the Minister of Transport and Communications of the State of Qatar, H E Jassim Saif Ahmed Al Sulaiti stated: “We are confident that the ICAO will ultimately find these actions unlawful. This is the latest in a series of rulings that expose the blockading countries’ continued disregard for international law and due process. Step by step their arguments are being dismantled, and Qatar’s position vindicated.”
Since the start of the illegal blockade in June 2017, Qatar has repeatedly said the blockade is an illegal act and violates international law and this confirmed by the rules of ICJ and earlier by WTO on the issue of cyber piracy. Now with no question over the ICAO’s jurisdiction and ICAO is expected to deliver a final ruling on the air blockade next year, there is no other option for blockading countries except kneeling down to respect rule of law if they are willing to stay part of the world.
