In response to recent ads slamming Joe Sestak as soft in his support of Israel, a new third party group has begun airing ads statewide defending the Democratic U.S. Senate nominee’s record of “courageously supporting American leadership to end the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.”

The group, J Street, said the 30-second ad will air in “major media markets across Pennsylvania.” It began airing the ads, a press release stated, after another third-party group, Emergency Committee for Israel, began airing spots that questioned whether he saw the Middle Eastern country as America’s ally.

“Congressman Joe Sestak, as a former admiral and national security expert, has been rock-solid in his support of Israel in Congress,” said J Street President Jeremy Ben-Ami in a statement. “We refuse to sit idly by as Bill Kristol, Gary Bauer and others launch baseless attacks on his record and views.”