Former premier Saad Hariri on Sunday said “the justification attempted today for Lebanon's shameful vote in the Arab League is simply unacceptable,” in a clear reference to the remarks voiced earlier in the day by President Michel Suleiman and Premier Najib Miqati.

“Those claiming to want to keep Lebanon neutral and shielded from Syria's repercussions have thrown the country in the middle of the storm and on the wrong side -- the side of murder, dictatorship and anti-Arab identity,” Hariri said on the social networking website Twitter.

Phalange Party leader Amin Gemayel on Sunday called for “leaving behind the approach of resistance” against Israel and “endorsing the approach of defending the Lebanese state.”

He noted that armed resistance against Israel lost its purpose “after the 2000 Israeli withdrawal, the deployment of U.N. peacekeepers and the issuance of (U.N. Security Council) Resolution 1701,” – which ended the devastating 2006 war between Israel and Hizbullah.

Syrian expatriates in Lebanon on Sunday organized a rally outside the Syrian embassy in Beirut’s Hamra district in support for embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and to condemn the Arab League’s decision to suspend Syria’s membership.

“The Arab League has died,” read a sign carried by demonstrators in front of the embassy.

Prime Minister Najib Miqati urged on Sunday all political leaderships to cooperate with the repeated calls to resume the contacts, whether through national dialogue or answering the people’s inquiries over the country’s future.

He said: “This government places Lebanon’s interest above all else and it does not seek to take uncalculated risks or exploit the Syrian refugees’ plight.”

The Israeli army is conducting intense training over a possible strike against Iran, which may possibly lead to a war with Hizbullah, reported the Jerusalem Post on Saturday.

The training comes at a time when the media spotlight has focused on a possible war between Iran and the Jewish state over the former’s nuclear ambitions.

The March 14 forces are weighing the possibility of withdrawing Lebanon’s Ambassador to Syria, Michel Khoury, in light of the Arab League’s decision to suspend Syria’s membership at the organization, reported the daily An Nahar on Sunday.

A prominent March 14 source told the daily that the forces are also mulling the possibility of suggesting the expulsion of the Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon, Ali Abdul Karim Ali.

France is keen that Lebanon state its clear position on the Special Tribunal for Lebanon, whether it is positive or negative, revealed French diplomatic sources to the daily al-Mustaqbal Sunday.

They added that the ties between the two countries will remain the same until Lebanon reveals its stance on the tribunal.

The United States has warned Lebanon against incurring negative consequences of the developments in Syria, especially regarding the Syrian refugees who have fled to Lebanon, reported the Kuwaiti al-Anbaa newspaper on Sunday.

Diplomatic sources explained that Lebanon should not hand over the refugees to Syria.

President Michel Suleiman stressed on Sunday that Lebanon did not oppose the decisions of the Arab League, saying that it refuses the isolation of any country.

He said: “I call on Syrian President Bashar Assad to implement the Arab League initiative.”

Former Prime Minister Saad Hariri said on Saturday that he is ashamed of the Lebanese government position at the Arab League meeting, noting that the decision taken by the Arab foreign ministers will not affect Lebanon’s security.

“I am ashamed as a Lebanese of the government’s position in the Arab league and I ask the Syrian people not to consider this as the will of the Lebanese,” Hariri said on Twitter fielding questions from his supporters.