Bar-Ilan University is resisting pressure to fire history professor Ariel Toaff for writing a book arguing that there is a factual basis to some of the blood libels against the Jews in Europe in the Middle Ages, university president Moshe Kaveh's media consultant said Monday.

The university administration says it will not restrict the Italian-Israeli professor's academic freedom or take any action against him, despite the condemnations of his book and the anger it has generated.

Still, university officials noted that "Pasque di Sangue" (translated variously as "Easter of Blood" or "Bloody Passovers"), which was recently released in Italy, was published privately, without any connection to Bar-Ilan.

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"People who are not academics, as well as lecturers at other universities, came to us and demanded that we fire Prof. Toaff, but we are not considering such a step," said the media consultant, Yerah Tal. "There are some who want to sacrifice him to Molech, but the man hasn't committed any crime."

Senior university officials said Monday that fundraisers for Bar-Ilan who are based in the United States and other countries were among those who have pressured the university to act against Toaff.

Bar-Ilan lecturers who spoke with Toaff said the professor had offered to resign if it would stanch the damage that his book has apparently caused, but that Kaveh rejected the idea. In any case, Toaff is due to retire at the end of the year.

Faculty members described Toaff as a unique lecturer who is well-liked by students. Some call him the "red rabbi," because he holds left-wing views and has received rabbinical ordination.

University researchers warned against any attempt on the part of the administration to impose limitations on Toaff's academic freedom. "Academic freedom must not be restricted under any circumstances," said Prof. Rimon Kasher, who teaches in Bar-Ilan's Bible department. "The job of the researcher is to ask questions and expose what he finds.

"If there is such a thing as academic freedom," said Kasher, "this is where it will be put to the test."