The new Lebanese president’s comments come after the UN chief called on Israel to end its ‘occupation’ in southern Lebanon.

Lebanon’s new president has said Israel must withdraw from the south of his country by January 26, the deadline agreed to end the Israel-Hezbollah conflict last year when he met with a United Nations official visiting the war-torn country.

“Continuing Israeli violations on land and in the air, especially in terms of bombing buildings and destroying border villages, completely contradicts what was stated in the cease-fire agreement and is seen as a continued violation of the sovereignty of Lebanon and the will of the international people,” the office of President Joseph Aoun said. Saturday after his meeting with Antonio Guterres in Beirut.

Guterres said he would make “great efforts” to ensure the “protection” of the armed forces by the January 26 deadline set by the agreement reached on November 27.

Guterres said that “a very bright future” awaits Lebanon under Aoun’s leadership where the country can be a stable and central center in the Middle East.

Aoun was elected in January after a deal between Lebanon’s political parties ended a two-year crisis that has rocked the country as Israel faced Israeli violence and economic collapse.

President, who is a former army chiefhe also emphasized his support for the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL), which is tasked with protecting the southern part of the country as part of Resolution 1701, which ended the 2006 war between Israel and Hezbollah.

The message given by Guterres in Lebanon was one of support for the new president as well New Prime Minister Nawaf Salamsaid Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, from Beirut.

“What Mr. Guterres is saying is that the countries of the world will stand with him and help him in his recovery. Lebanon has had a difficult few years. The economy has collapsed, the country is on the verge of collapse, there is a financial crisis and the currency is very cheap.”

As part of the ceasefire, Hezbollah is required to move back across the Litani River, which is 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the border with Israel, and remove any military equipment.

UN peacekeepers have found more than 100 weapons belonging to “Hezbollah or other armed groups” in southern Lebanon, Guterres said on Friday, calling on Israel to stop its “operation” in the region.

The Lebanese army has been gradually deploying to other areas in the south along with UN troops, while the Israeli army has gradually withdrawn.

French President Emmanuel Macron, who was on a trip to Beirut on Friday, said Israel’s withdrawal from the region must be “accelerated” and the army of Lebanon strengthened.

As Mr. Guterres of the UN pledged the support of other countries in Lebanon during his visit, the United States announced on Saturday that it would do so. donate more than $117m to the country.

The US State Department said that the funds will be provided as part of “new, enhanced security assistance” to the Lebanese army and security forces in accordance with the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.

The Lebanese army, the UN and France accused Israel of repeated “violations” of the cease-fire, as it launched numerous protests in an attempt to “enforce” the agreement.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem said in a televised address on Saturday that the Israeli army had violated the “hundreds” of years of treaties.

“We have been patient with violations in order to give an opportunity to the Lebanese state that is implementing the agreement, together with the international partners, but I ask you not to test our patience,” he said.