ujm – When HaRav Amram Blau was imprisoned in 1953 for protesting Chillul Shabbos, the Chazon Ish came to visit him…
There is a crucial point that is being ignored here, and which makes this whole 117 post debate completely irrelevant. Rav Amram Blau זצ״ל was a big kanoi, but his shittah was not in sync with Satmar. NK began within the Yerushalmi branch of Agudah. They were NOT opposed to settling the Land etc., they were ONLY focused on issues of Shabbos, Tzniyus, and avoiding any connection with the Reshaim = Secular Zionists. They DID NOT hold of the שלש שבועות shittah, so much so that they were OK with being part of Agudah… This puts Rav Amram Blau in the same Hashkafic category as Rav Akiva Shlesinger, who was IN FAVOR of mass immigration, building settlements, etc., but MAKING SURE TO DO IT ALL על טהרת הקודש. Rav Amram himself was very close with R’ Velvel Brisker whose own shittah was very similar. Do you notice that ALL OF THE STORIES ABOUT RAV AMRAM BLAU ARE ABOUT SHABBOS PROTESTS or tzniyus or similar issues. The opposition to the State was because of all the Rishus the State did, and he of course held that voting or participation in any way was considered associating with Reshaim, NOT NECESSARILY because of the ‘Shevuos’. This was so much so, that a later leader of the post-R’ Amram NK said openly that “WE NEVER FORGAVE HIM FOR MIXING OTHER ISSUES INTO THE KANAUS” = for NOT emphasizing the Satmar shittah (that he didn’t really hold of, at least for the first few decades of his activity.)
Fast forward – The ‘Modern’ NK post 1960 has been completely taken oven by the Satmar ideology in THEORY, WITHOUT the limits the Divrei Yoel imposed IN PRACTICE = not demonstrating with Goyim, etc. You will NEVER see them protesting Chilul Shabbos, pritzus, or ANYTHING OTHER THAN the EXISTENCE of the State of Israel, not any particular mehalech the State should or shouldn’t do. (מה שאין כן real Satmar do protest those issues, and even their demonstrations in Manhattan etc. are ISSUE oriented, e.g. for the draft gezeros etc.) The PLO or the Iranians (and some of the NK themselves…) don’t care about chilul Shabbos. This doesn’t have ANYTHING to do with Rav Amram Blau זצ״ל, and not much to do with Satmar either for that matter. Certainly zero shaychus whatsoever with the Steipler or the Chazon Ish.