George Sabra was named Monday interim leader of the Syrian Opposition National Coalition to replace Moaz al-Khatib, who declared resignation last month.

The coalition said in a statement issued Monday that Sabra, a Christian member who used to be the deputy of al-Khatib, would temporarily take the leadership of the coalition until a new chief is elected.

Al-Khatib has reaffirmed his resignation after U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry had recently announced that his country would provide another 123 million U.S. dollars in non-lethal assistance to the Syrian opposition, which would bring Washington's total aid amount to the rebels to 250 million dollars.

Al-Khatib, a former imam of the time-honored Umayyad Mosque in the Syrian capital of Damascus, resigned in March on the heels of the appointment of a prime minister to lead an interim government for the opposition.

The appointment was deemed by experts as having dwarfed al- Khatib's position.