BEIRUT: Amal Movement MP Hani Kobeissi defended Foreign Affairs Minister Adnan Mansour against calls for his resignation Sunday, saying his call to reinstate Syria at the Arab League was for the good of the country.

“They say he [Mansour] should resign because he placed Lebanon's interest at risk and took a political decision that is not compatible with that of politicians in Lebanon or some Arab leaders. And we ask: who should resign; those calling for good or those calling for evil?” he asked during a speech in south Lebanon.

“Who should resign? The foreign affairs minister or the Arab leaders who plant destruction and ruin in our nations and forget what Israel is doing from land theft of Palestine and judaization of the Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he added.

During a meeting of Arab League foreign ministers in Cairo Wednesday, Mansour called on the organization to reinstate Syria in order to give way for a political solution to resolve the crisis there.

Damascus was suspended from membership of the league in November 2011.

His remarks sparked the ire of the March 14 coalition, which said he represented the Syrian regime rather than Lebanon and slammed the government’s so-called disassociation policy.

Lebanon has officially adopted a policy of disassociation in dealing with events in the region, particularly the crisis in Syria to avoid any possible repercussions on the country.

“Who deserves to be held responsible: the one calling for reform in our society that forgot its primary cause and forgets about the love and friendship between Arab peoples?” he said.

“The foreign affairs minister deserves an honorary badge for calling for the good, love and dialogue in our Arab nation. “

The Arab body decided Wednesday to let member states arm Syrian rebels and invited the Syrian opposition group to take Damascus’ seat at the league.