British parliamentary candidate Jeremy Zeid has resigned after making a Facebook post suggesting that Israeli should “do an Eichmann” on US President Barack Obama, and force him to stand trial.

Zeid was standing as a candidate of the right-wing UK Independence Party (UKIP) in the northwest London suburb of Hendon.

The Facebook post, now deleted, which led to the uproar included a link to Arutz Sheva’s article revealing how the Pentagon declassified documents dealing with Israeli nuclear secrets. Zeid later added a comment to his post saying, “just kidnap the bugger, like they did to Eichman [sic], who suddenly found that he’d woken up in Israel.”

After being questioned over his remarks, Zeid said that he stands by them as an expression of free speech. “Remember that phrase ‘Je Suis Charlie’? Well, freedom of speech.”

The newly retired politician is Jewish and has frequently expressed his dissatisfaction with Obama, particularly regarding what he sees as the US president’s softness on Iran. Last week he told the Jewish Chronicle, “[Obama] wants to do a deal with Iran – which wants to wipe Israel out, to see the Jewish State gone to dust.”

For his part, Zeid claims that he is quitting politics “because people focus on the minutiae,” while a party spokesperson stated that his resignation is over health issues.