Sign up for our daily briefing
Make your busy days simpler with Axios AM/PM. Catch up on what's new and why it matters in just 5 minutes.
Catch up on the day's biggest business stories
Subscribe to Axios Closer for insights into the day’s business news and trends and why they matter
Sign up for Axios Pro Rata
Dive into the world of dealmakers across VC, PE and M&A with Axios Pro Rata. Delivered daily to your inbox by Dan Primack and Kia Kokalitcheva.
Sports news worthy of your time
Binge on the stats and stories that drive the sports world with Axios Sports. Sign up for free.
Tech news worthy of your time
Get our smart take on technology from the Valley and D.C. with Axios Login. Sign up for free.
Get the inside stories
Get an insider's guide to the new White House with Axios Sneak Peek. Sign up for free.
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Catch up on coronavirus stories and special reports, curated by Mike Allen everyday
Want a daily digest of the top Denver news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Denver
Want a daily digest of the top Des Moines news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Des Moines
Want a daily digest of the top Twin Cities news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Twin Cities
Want a daily digest of the top Tampa Bay news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Tampa Bay
Want a daily digest of the top Charlotte news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with Axios Charlotte
Want a daily digest of the top Nashville news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Nashville newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Columbus news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Columbus newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Dallas news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Dallas newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Austin news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Austin newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Atlanta news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Atlanta newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Philadelphia news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Philadelphia newsletter.
Want a daily digest of the top Chicago news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios Chicago newsletter.
Sign up for Axios NW Arkansas
Stay up-to-date on the most important and interesting stories affecting NW Arkansas, authored by local reporters
Want a daily digest of the top DC news?
Get a daily digest of the most important stories affecting your hometown with the Axios DC newsletter.
An Israeli Air Force F-16 fighter jet taking off at the Ramat David Air Force Base. Photo: Jack Guez/AFP/Getty Images
Israel and the U.S. are in talks to resolve their differences over the arms deal between Israel and Croatia involving $500 million worth of F-16 fighter jets. State Department officials told me the U.S. wants to see the deal go forward, but also stressed that Israel has to adhere to several conditions.
Why it matters: Israeli and Croatian officials are concerned the deal will collapse over conditions the U.S. presented. The Croatians are furious and demand Israel and the U.S. resolve the crisis. The Croatian deadline for approving the deal is the end of the budget year — Dec. 31.
Details: Yesterday, the State Department formally notified Congress of the potential deal between Israel and Croatia, according to a U.S. official. Congress has to be notified due to the price tag of the deal and because the F-16s that Israel wants to sell to Croatia were originally given to Israel as part of a U.S. military aid package. Congress now has a 15-day period to review the deal.
State Department officials and Israeli officials told me that although the notification to Congress is a step forward, there are still a number of differences that need to be solved.
"Although certain details are pending, the Department would like to see cooperation from all parties involved to come to a successful resolution."— State Department official
U.S. officials said the Trump administration wants to approve the deal before the end of 2018, but in order to give a green light to the deal, Israel must remove the Israeli systems that were installed in the F-16s and return the jets to their original condition before transferring the jets to Croatia.
The Croatians are not thrilled with the U.S.' demands — mainly because Israel won the tender in the first place because it proposed an upgraded version of the original jet it bought from the U.S. decades ago. Croatian Prime Minister Andrej Plenković threatened today to cancel the deal over the U.S. demands. "We will not accept modifications to what has been selected in the tender. Either we buy the jets that were offered or the deal will be canceled. Everything else would undermine the tender," Plenković said.