Daybreak: Hope on Talks After All

• The Palestinians’ chief negotiator said peace was “doable,” if difficult. The first big roadblock—no unfortunate pun intended—will come September 26, when the West Bank construction freeze is scheduled to expire. [NYT]

• Another former negotiator, the American David Makovsky, agrees that peace is not implausible, and argues that talks are the essential complement to Palestinian state-building. [WP]

• While sanctions may be putting the hurt on Iran generally, the country’s Revolutionary Guard and those with ties to it may actually be thriving by using private firms as fronts. [LAT]

• A detailed look at Israel’s new natural gas opportunities. [NYT]

• Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s declining health has basically become a public joke in the country. Less funny is that no one knows who his successor will be. [LAT]

• Richard Cohen doesn’t want compromise on the Islamic center, like moving it to a new location, because one side is right and the other side is wrong. Instead, he calls for “moral suasion” from leaders. [WP]