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SELL YOU TEXTBOOKS AT LOUPOT’S BOOKSTORES GET 10% MORE $$$$ 3 CONVENIENT LOCATIONS: NORTHGATE, SOUTHGATE, WOLF PEN www.loupots.com 6B Monday, December 8, 2003 HE BATTALi Palestinians fail to agree on a truct By Lara Sukhtian THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ISRAELI-PALESTINIAN TURMOIL West Bank checkpoints at Issue CAIRO, Egypt — Palestinians failed to agree on a truce offer to Israel on Sunday after three days of talks, setting back the Palestinian prime minister’s hopes for a halt in violence to jump start the stalled U.S.- backed “road map” peace plan. Hamas and Islamic Jihad, which have car ried out most suicide attacks against Israel, resisted intense pressure from Prime Minister Ahmed Qureia and the top Egyptian mediator and refused a full cease-fire. The two groups would agree only to a limited truce, ending attacks on civilians in Israel but not on Jewish settlers or Israeli soldiers in the West Bank and Gaza Strip. Israel said it would accept only a com prehensive halt. “There’s no half-way cease fire,’’ said Raanan Gissin, a spokesman for Prime Minister Ariel Sharon. He said Israel is willing to stop shooting if there was a total Palestinian truce. An official from Islamic Jihad and other Palestinian delegates said a further meeting was planned but no date for it was set. Egypt had called together the Palestinian factions — more than a dozen, ranging from Yasser Arafat’s Fatah move ment to the Islamic groups and smaller left ist movements — in hopes of producing a halt to all attacks. Egyptian Intelligence Chief Gen. Omar Suleiman wanted to pres ent the truce to Washington next week in a broad proposal that could win U.S. backing and put pressure on Israel. But Qureia, who joined the talks Sunday in the hopes of bridging the gap, left the Egyptian capital, and several delegates acknowledged the talks produced no con crete results. “There are disagreements about the nature of a cease-fire," Maher Taher, a sen ior delegate for the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, told The Associated Press. “The factions have different positions on the issue.’’ Even when Qureia and Suleiman lay on the pressure in a three-hour meeting Sunday, Hamas and Islamic Jihad refused to buckle in their rejection of the broad halt. The two groups have carried out most of the Thu Israeli military says its trawl bans In tho Was! Bank, anfoccad with dazans of roadblocks, are an alfactiva loot in tha war on terror Critics say tha lockdown has devastated the Palestinian economy, whipped up resentment and failed to deter militants NaWua Employment Cloeuras are keeping some 130,000 Palestinians flrorr lobe In Israel Palostlnien civilians Most need permits to travel between towns, and experience long delays at checkpoints Delivering goods Trucks drive to checkpt outskirts of towns text i ) local vehtek IQD I Soldiers' outlool harried and at targeted Ord Quickly, conk, recruits abou stop and vtfo Security Israel says hundreds o roving chec ES Wbrii t suicide bombings against Israel that have killed hundreds during more than three years of violence. “Hamas is not ready to make a compre hensive cease-fire. This is final," senior Hamas official Mohammed Nazzal said after talks ended Sunday. The militant factions also rejected giving Qureia authority to speak for them in any negotiations with Israel. “We are not ready to give them authorization to sign a new agreement,’’ Nazzal said. The two groups said a more limited halt to attacks on civilians in Israel also depend ed on Israel’s stopping its military actions. “Let Abu Ala (Qureia) talk with Sharon and ask him if he is ready to make a cease fire. If Sharon is ready to make a cease-fire, we will study it.” Nazzal said. “It was difficult for us and other factions to accept a new truce without guarantees from the Israeli side, because the previous truce failed in the same way, because of no Israeli guarantees,” said Nafez Azzam. an Islamic Jihad spokesman in Gaza. The Cairo session “ended with thetwp! of holding another meeting bin it tai been agreed on a date," Azzam said. In June, the Palestinians declaredi cease-fire on attacks within Israel that ate was negotiated in Egypt. Israel was not for mally part of that truce, and it collapsed after seven weeks, with Israel attadi Palestinians and Palestinians resuming si cide bombings. In the end, delegates said the Cairo meet ings would only prcxluce a final stateraei but no deal. “The statement w ill have no mentions refraining from attacks on civilians, cease- fire or authorizing” Qureia to negotiate»ifi the Israelis, said Samir Ghosheh.headofl Palestinian Struggle Front. In exchange for the full truce, Egyptaai Fatah were demanding that Israel stop built ing settlements, pull its troops out if Palestinian areas re-occupied during tie uprising and halt construction of its se called security barrier along the border with Palestinian areas, which jut; Palestinian land. Essentially, their plan would have e much of the criteria of the “roadmap." Sharon said Israel is still interested b cease-fire. “The solution is that if there is total()« and there won’t be terror, Israel will ini every effort to abstain from its actiw against terrorists" he said. He madetk comments before the Cairo talks ended,: reaction to reports the Palestinians werec« side ring offering the limited cease-fire onl) No deadly suicide bombings ta occurred in Israel for more than twomoi The Palestinian suicide attacks have it- geted buses, cafes, restaurants, si malls and outdoor markets inside IsraeliK- ritory, drawing condemnation f international community as well as Palestinian Authority. Israel ’s army has retaliated harshly- using tanks, warplanes and helicopters Palestinians and reoccupied most of Ik Palestinian cities in the West Gaza. Since the uprising started September 2000, 2,562 people have be killed on the Palestinian side and 898ondt Israeli side. Volun Texas A& have be< egardir since Ja; presiden .The Yc hosted sale. .presid e-mail • Direct the YC "Wedn .The Y< Byrne .Gates admis! minor irl ii' : BCS Blunder Continued from page 4B It’s the third time in four seasons that a team in the top two in the polls didn't make it to the BCS title game. The BCS avoided disaster those years because No. 1 Oklahoma beat Florida State in the 2001 Orange Bowl and No. 1 Miami beat Nebraska in the 2002 Rose Bowl. The No. 2 teams in the polls won their bowl games those years and could have won the AP title if the top-ranked teams lost. The only way to avoid a disputed finish this year is if Michigan (10-2) beats USC. “1 know there’s controversy but that comes with the system,” Carroll said. “Until a playoff that’s what will happen.” There was talk two years ago when Nebraska made the title game without winning the Big 12 to make a winning a conference a requirement to make the championship game. There are sure to be more calls for that change because of Oklahoma. “With the events this year, we’d be foolish if we didn't look at it again in the spring,” said Big East commissioner Mike Tranghese, who runs the BCS. The other BCS matchups have No. 10 Miami (10-2) playing No. 9 Florida State (10-2) in a rematch from the regular season in the Orange Bowl and No. 8 Kansas State (I 1-3) facing No. 7 Ohio State (10-2) in the Fiesta Bowl. Champions of the ACC, Big East, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-10 and SEC qualify for a BCS game. Oklahoma and Ohio State were picked as at-large teams. Despite the controversy, there are still two intriguing matchups. First up is USC-Michigan on Jan. 1 in the seventh Rose Bowl meeting between the schools. The game features two high-powered offens es. USC is sixth in the nation in scoring at 42.2 points per game and Michigan is ninth at 37.2. Quarterback Matt Leinart leads a balanced offense for the Trojans, which features game breaking receivers in Mike Williams, Keary Colbert and Steve Smith and a dangerous run ning duo of Reggie Bush and LenDale White. Michigan is led by quarterback John Navarre, who has delivered his biggest games against the best opponents this year. The Wolverines also have talented receivers in Braylon Edwards, Jason Avant and Steve Breaston, and a top running back in Chris Perry. Three days later, LSU will play Oklahoma in what will almost be a home game for the Tigers at the Superdome in New Orleans — a short drive from LSU’s campus. This game features the country’s two best defenses. Oklahoma leads the nation, allowing only 255.6 yards per game, slightly better than LSU’s 259.5. The Tigers have the top scoring defense at 10.8 points per game compared to Oklahoma’s third-best 14.9. Both teams also have big-play quarterbacks. Jason White has 40 touchdown passes and is a Heisman Trophy candidate for Oklahoma, while LSU’s Matt Mauck has 28 touchdown passes. Former Nicaraguai president sentence! for money MANAGUA, Nicaragua (AP 1 — A federal judge sentenct: former Nicaraguan Preside'' Arnoldo Aleman to 20 yearsf prison on money laundt and other charges, in a n read publicly on Sunday, Aleman was accused of gaily diverting some USJ million in government func his party’s election campa during his tenure in of which ended in January2C Handing down the sente Sunday, Judge Juana Mer cited crimes of fraud, mil propriation of public fui embezzlement, criminal assf ciation and electoral violate endangering the state. Mendez also stripped Aleman of his ability to served congress and imposedafinejl about $10 million. Mendez’s decision dirt! the trial to release Aleitf from jail allow him to belie- under house arrest provoke-' international concern that IK judicial process had bee' compromised. 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