Netanyahu: Islamists taking us back to the ‘Dark Ages’

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a speech Tuesday contrasted progressive Israel with the “oppressive” aspirations of radical Islam, which he claimed was attempting to take humanity back to the “Dark Ages.”“What we see here today is the future,” Netanyahu said in introductory remarks at an event at Tel Aviv University that was also attended by French President Francois Hollande.“Radical Islam wants to take us to the past,” he said. “We march toward the future; they, to the Dark Ages. We aspire to open our society to everyone — men, women, minorities, to the right to be different. They want oppressive uniformity, rigid doctrine. “And they want to support all this with weapons of mass destruction,” he added, alluding to Tehran’s alleged attempt to produce nuclear weapons. “We cannot allow them this. I think it would be a grave mistake to repeat the mistakes made with North Korea, another closed society with tough and aggressive doctrine.” Further on in his speech, Netanyahu returned to the subject of Iran’s rogue nuclear program and his firm, oft-reiterated stance on the recently resumed talks between Tehran and the West. A new round of discussions is set to begin in Geneva on Wednesday. “In the case of Iran, there is a great opportunity, and it would be a mistake to give up on Iran when they have every reason to respond to the pressure leveled against them,” he stated. “Instead of giving in to their charm offensive, it’s important that they surrender to the pressure exerted on them until they abandon the nuclear weapons program.”