Ayman Salameh: Qatar could face

"The four countries boycotting Qatar will be subjected to escalating measures that will be harsh but legitimate and that comply with the provisions of international law and the principles of the United Nations," said Ayman Salameh, a professor of public international law. He added that the measures will be smart and target the statelet’s senior officials, including Qatar’s emir.

He added, in an interview with “Arabs Today”, that the main measures expected to be taken are the freezing of Qatari banking assets and deposits in banks of the four countries boycotting Qatar and the freezing of investment activities, on both governmental and private sides. He added that the Qatari governmental officials will be banned from entering the boycotting countries for their criminal contribution to the commission of terrorist crimes against the citizens of the four States.

He expected that the arm sales and the sales of materials used for their manufacturing will be banned, adding that the other countries will be asked to take similar actions against the tiny state as soon as possible during the coming period.

He denied the claims adopted by the Qatari government that the measures taken against it by the boycotting countries violate the International law, saying that such measures comply with the International Law as they have been taken by the countries to protect themselves from the repercussions of the Qatari policies.

He added that leadership in Qatar must be honest too in its dealings now with the international community and explain why it is the subject of a coordinated and determined action by the GCC states. That explanation to others must make clear that it is the subject of — and will continue to be — an international boycott. It’s also wrong for Qatari officials to interpret this boycott as a blockade — to do so plays fast and loose with the truth.

He added that The GCC states have imposed a boycott. The terrestrial crossing with Saudi Arabia is closed — as is the right of the kingdom to do so. Equally, it is also the sovereign right of the UAE, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain to close their respective airspace to any plane of any nation as these nations deem fit. And in this instance, all three sovereign nations have chosen to shut their airspaces to planes belonging to Qatar Airways. In essence, these are the legitimate coordinated actions integral to the “boycott” until Qatar sees reason and effects real change by ending its funding and support to terrorists.