Simply put, if Iran and Hamas win, Israel loses

America is about to make what could be its most impactful decision of our generation. Will a proposed agreement sufficiently prevent Iran from developing a nuclear weapons program, or will the agreement only delay the creation of a weapons program while giving a $150 billion boost to its research fund?

In reviewing the nuclear accord, Americans should ask themselves a question: If we were neighbors with Iran, would we feel safe with this agreement?

Fortunately for us, we have a Middle Eastern ally qualified to answer that question.

To better understand the impact of this agreement, I traveled to Israel with a bipartisan group of congressional leaders during the August recess. I met with elected officials and everyday families, entrepreneurs and enlisted troops, Israeli and Palestinian leaders. Each group expressed concern that this deal would provide Iran with a pathway to a nuclear bomb.

Why should we listen to Israel's opinion on the Iran deal? Because of our many shared values: respect for religious rights, a strong commitment to maintaining a diverse democracy, and support for economic and individual freedoms. In contrast, Iran's supreme leader has refused to reject the calls of protesters who chant, "Death to America! Death to Israel!"

In fact, during the same time that Iranian diplomats negotiated with the world about their "peaceful nuclear programs," Iran's Revolutionary Guard gave tens of millions of dollars to the terrorist group Hamas. I met Israeli families living near the West Bank who face the possibility of an unexpected mortar as an everyday fact of life because of groups such as Hamas. No one is cheering louder for the nuclear accord and its sanctions relief than the enemies of Israel.

If Iran and Hamas win, Israel loses.

Past American partnerships have meant an increase in safety for Israeli families, not a liability. This was most evident to me when we surveyed the Iron Dome missile defense system. American support and Israeli ingenuity have built the only operational missile defense system with a consistent record of stopping mid-air attacks. As the United States helps to save Israeli lives, Iran funds the very rockets Hamas uses to attack Israelis.

While there is much to consider about this deal, the United States should listen carefully to our ally, Israel, as we navigate a world they know all too well. The rise of an aggressive nuclear nation in anyone's backyard should cause all of us concern.

We shouldn't be fooled into thinking this is a question of party politics, either. As New Jersey Sen. Robert Menendez, the ranking Democrat on the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, has pointed out: This deal provides "permanent relief in exchange for short-term promises."

If passed, Iran needs to "play by the rules" for 10 or 15 years until it can have an internationally approved nuclear research program. Iran will then be a mere three months away from building a nuclear weapon. Amid an ideological war that has been waged for centuries, 15 years is no time at all to wait.

— Republican Cresent Hardy represents Nevada's 4th Congressional District in the U.S. House.