Oxford University has launched an investigation into allegations that one of its lecturers said American-born settlers in Israel should be shot dead.

Poet Tom Paulin, a Fellow at Hertford College, claims he was misquoted in an interview with the Egyptian English language newspaper Al-Ahram.

On the subject of "Brooklyn-born" Jewish settlers, Mr Paulin was quoted as saying: "They should be shot dead. I think they are Nazis, racists, I feel nothing but hatred for them."

Mr Paulin, who teaches 19th and 20th century English literature and is a regular guest on BBC2's Late Review show, has denied making some of the comments. But Vice-Chancellor of the university, Dr Colin Lucas, said an "immediate and thorough" investigation had been launched. "The university abhors racism in all its forms and is totally committed to ensuring that it can have no place within the university," he said.

A university spokesman added: "If his views are unpopular, he is entitled to hold them, but if his statements are against the law, that's a different matter."

Mr Paulin was not available for comment.