Introduction
A controversy exists in jurisprudence and legal philosophy regarding the true status of international law. International law is a legal framework that encompasses rules and norms governing interaction between sovereign nations and other entities in the world at large. This legal system includes treaties, conventions, customary international law, judgments from international organizations, and tribunal decisions.

Arguments in Favor of International Law as Law:

• Consent of States: A strong case in favor of international law being the true law rests on the will of states. States voluntarily take part in international treaties and agreements with a view to being subjected to legal liabilities arising under these contracts. The consent-oriented principle also has some resemblance with the contractual basis of domestic law in which individuals or entities take on legal liabilities spontaneously.
   
• Enforceability: Though there is no centralized enforcement framework for International Law like those for domestic laws, it does have means of resolving the conflict. States can also file cases against other states in any international court of law or tribunal. While it is possible to enforce compliance with the international law, the diplomatic measures ranging from retaliatory embargoes to war might come up in line with a state action against non-compliance thereby underscoring the need for compliance.
   
• Customary Law: Another factor which supports its legal character is the evolution of customary international law. State practice coupled with opinio juris denotes customary international law which means the expectation of compliance with a certain practice. It resembles how laws come into being and grow to form legal customs within national legal systems thereby grounding international law upon solid customs.
   
• In the realm of international law, another crucial aspect that lends it legitimacy is the gradual development of customary international law. This refers to the collective behavior of states, coupled with their shared belief in the legal obligation to adhere to specific practices. This process mirrors the establishment and proliferation of legal customs within national legal systems, ultimately serving as the foundation for the field of international law.
  
  Customary international law can be seen as a manifestation of how laws originate and take shape in the context of domestic legal systems. Similarly, it signifies the growth and acceptance of certain customs at an international level, solidifying their position within the global legal framework. In order for a practice to be recognized as customary international law, it requires consistent and widespread state practice.
   
• International Organizations: Integral tasks are played by international organizations like the UN in formation of international laws and its maintenance. These perform similar roles such as legislative, executive, and judicial which correspond with respective activities in domestic justice system. This institutional framework strengthens the rule-of-law essence of international law.
   
• Resolution of Disputes: States can also rely on international law, which provides structured legal procedures for settling their disputes and conflicts. It contributes to amicable settlements that could evade warfare for the benefit of world peace and tranquility.
   
• Protection of Global Interests: International law also deals with such important matters like human rights, environment conservation, and humanitarian care. It ensures the welfare and rights of persons internationally and protects global public interests through the development of international law in these fields.
   
• Deterrence and Accountability: International law is enforceable, and states are legally liable for breaches hence misconduct in that kind is discouraged. These can help states avoid illegal behavior, as other entities might take legal action against them under international law.
   
• Promotion of Cooperation: States work together in response to common issues such as environment and trading with the help of international law. In a globalized world, cross-border issues need multinational responses, which make this cooperation mandatory.

Arguments against International Law as Law

• Lack of Enforcement Mechanism: Critics underscore the lack of a centrally enforced regime in the international law as its fundamental weakness. State compliance lies at the heart of the success of international law despite lingering questions on how it can be enforced.
   
• Sovereignty: State sovereignty has been the focal point of a main reason why international law cannot be viewed as true law. They also have individual states which enjoy their own autonomous and independent sovereignty of choosing or not complying with international law. This is different from domestic law that normally tends to be mandatory and applies only over a country's territory.
  
  Some critics hold that international law could undermine sovereignty of some states. They are states as such and their involvement in the international treaties occurs on a voluntarily basis. In the realm of national legal orders, countries face a perplexing challenge: the authority to determine whether or not to adopt and enforce international laws. This dynamic creates an intriguing interplay between national sovereignty and global cooperation. Imagine a world where each country possesses the power to selectively embrace or reject international laws based on their own interests, values, and priorities.
   
• Heterogeneous Nature: It is a heterogeneous international community in which large, powerful, and influential states live side-by-side with smaller ones under the same legal system. This criticism stems from the fact that the varying degree of heterogeneity could translate into discrepancies with regards to how international criminal law is applied and enforced.
   
• Lack of a World Government: The international law acts in the absence of any centralized world government that would supervise adherence, impose fines, or punish violators. However, the domestic legal systems usually involve the governmental authorities whose duty is to enforce the laws.
   
• Limited Judicial Authority: Although there are international courts and tribunals that carry out essential duties, they have circumscribed authority in contrast to local legal procedures. In addition, their decisions are not necessarily followed by all parties; therefore, they do differ from solid judicial power generally associated with the national ones.
   
• Consent-Based System: International law majorly depends upon the will and consent of states. Although this basic notion serves as a cornerstone for the international law, it also allows countries not to take part in respective international treaties and accords, thus diminishing the universal nature of the world order law.
   
• Fragmentation: Others claim that there is no unified international law as compared to a single domestic legal system. Such division can lead to difficulties in reconciling different standards and tenets.
   
• Limited Remedies: International law violations may not have sufficient remedies. Since states will not enforce any criminal sanctions or prison sentences, they might have to turn to diplomatic or economic ones.
   
• Cultural and Ethical Diversity: International law is not flexible enough to accommodate various cultural, ethics, and political viewpoints among states and people at large of the international society. Such differences can be difficult when forming international law.

Conclusion:
The classification of international law as "real" law has remained a controversial topic for deliberation. International law is essentially a complex network of treaties, accords, and customs that regulate inter-state and global relationships. It does not have a centralized enforcing body or a uniformly obedient population, but has recourse to the states' consent and offers a tool for settling disputes.

Additionally, it deals with international concerns, such as human right and environment conservation, building a rule based system in the world. Despite being a mixture of legalities and uniqueness, international law represents "law" in its essence as a term that needs to be understood on a philosophical and practical base depending on the world realities.