Forward Shmuel Katz has been a lifelong activist in the cause of Jewish national rebirth. During the struggle against British rule, he was a member of the close-knit high command of the underground Irgun Zvai Leumi under the leadership of Menachem Begin. Katz was elected a member of the first Knesset of Israel, and, after the Six Day War, he became one of the leaders of the Land of Israel movement. After the victory of the Likud party in the 1977 election, Shmuel Katz joined the new government as advisor to Prime Minister Begin. He resigned because of differences of opinion on major policy and has since served as columnist of Ma'ariv and the Jerusalem Post. In addition to BATTLEGROUND, he is the author of DAYS OF FIRE (1968), THE HOLLOW PEACE (1982), BATTLETRUTH: A selection of articles and essays (1983), LONE WOLF (1995), and THE SAGA OF THE AARONSON FAMILY (2002). 4th Edition Printing I must allow this new edition of BATTLEGROUND to pursue its original purpose to instruct the truth to a new generation and conduce to the demolition of the mendacities and fantasies that the enemies and false friends of Israel have continued to build against Israel. Shmuel Katz Our struggle for peace and for the security of our people seems to be still far from ended. In a world in which pragmatic interest - such as the thirst for oil or for petrodollars - seem to play an overriding role it may be thought by some that mere facts, mere truth, are pale competitors. Yet for our people whose God's name is Truth - "for He is truth and His name is truth" - we shall continue to use truth as a main weapon. Menachem Begin