Top UN court asked to rule on Qatar airspace dispute

The Gulf diplomatic crisis took a new twist on Friday as Bahrain, Egypt and the UAE requested the International Court of Justice (ICJ) to squash a UN verdict in favour of Qatar over an airspace dispute.

Last week, the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) ruled it had the jurisdiction to determine a dispute brought by Qatar, accusing its neighbours of violating an agreement that regulates the free passage of passenger planes through foreign airspace. 

The three countries, which along with Saudi Arabia launched an land, air and navel blockade of Qatar in June 2017, now wants the ICJ to nullify the ICAO's ruling.

"The ICAO council is not competent to adjudicate," the countries said in papers filed before the ICJ, arguing its decision was "manifestly flawed and in violation of fundamental principles of due process and the right to be heard".

Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the UAE and Egypt accuse Qatar of backing terrorism and supporting arch-rival Iran, a charge Doha strongly denies. 

Last month, Doha dragged the UAE to the ICJ accusing Abu Dhabi of human rights "violations" and discrimination against Qataris, saying it was fostering a "climate of fear" among its citizens.

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Abu Dhabi in return called on Qatar to stop "supporting terrorist groups and individuals" as it denied the human rights abuse claims.

A ruling in that case could still take a few weeks or even months.

The ICJ - the UN's highest legal body - was set up in 1946 to rule in disputes against states, but it can also give advisory opinions on legal questions referred to it by other UN organs and specialised agencies.

A separate UN body, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, in January charged the four blockading countries of orchestrating a hate campaign against Qatar, which included threats to kill the country's emir.