Destruction of Gaza International Airport – ICAO Council resolution – ICAO press release

Montreal, 13 March 2002 – The Council of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) today adopted a resolution strongly condemning the destruction of the Gaza International Airport and its air navigation facilities.

The issue had been referred to the ICAO Council by the High-level, Ministerial Conference on Aviation Security held at the Organization's Headquarters, 19 and 20 February 2002, on the basis of a paper presented by Arab States Members of the Arab Civil Aviation Commission.

Following is the full text of the Resolution:

The Council,
Having considered the fact that Gaza International Airport facilities were destroyed by Israeli military forces on 4 December 2001 and 10 January 2002 so as to render the airport inoperable;

Having noted the facts presented and the views expressed by Israel and the Palestinian Authority;

Noting that such action is a violation of the principles enshrined in the Convention on International Civil Aviation (Chicago Convention, 1944);

Noting that such action is contrary to the principles of the Convention for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts against the Safety of Civil Aviation (Montreal Convention, 1971) and the Protocol for the Suppression of Unlawful Acts of Violence at Airports Serving International Civil Aviation, Supplementary thereto (Montreal Protocol, 1988), which consider that unlawful acts of violence jeopardizing the safety of airports disturb the safe and orderly conduct of civil aviation for all States;

Considering that the occurrence of such acts is a matter of grave concern to the international community;

1. Strongly condemns all acts of unlawful interference against civil aviation, wherever, by whomsoever and for whatever reasons they are perpetrated;

2. Strongly condemns the destruction of Gaza International Airport and its air navigation facilities;

3. Reaffirms the important role of the International Civil Aviation Organization to facilitate the resolution of questions which may arise between Contracting States in relation to matters affecting the safe and orderly operation of international civil aviation throughout the world;

4. Urges Israel to fully comply with the aims and objectives of the Chicago Convention;

5. Strongly urges Israel to take the necessary measures to restore Gaza International Airport so as to allow its reopening as soon as possible;

6. Requests the President of the Council to attend to the implementation of this Resolution, in particular its preceding Clauses 3, 4 and 5, and to secure the full cooperation of the parties with respect to the application of the Chicago Convention and of the above-mentioned principles; and

7. Requests the Secretary General to inform all 187 Contracting States of this Resolution.

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