I’m more than willing to entertain the notion that zionism could be classified in our times as avodah zara, however what about the Rambam hilchot melachim u’milchot perek 5
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And as far as the gedolim listed that lived in Chu”l, I would venture to guess that most if not all of them chose to live there because of their communities that needed their guidance. The Baal Shem Tov is not a ra’yah and adaraba – he davka tried to get to E”Y but was prevented from Shemayim. I have an English biography on Rebbe Yoel m’Satmar that says he lived for some time in Yerushalayim and personally wanted to stay the rest of his life but decided to go back out of a sense of responsibility to all his chassidim in America.