HaKatan, Rav Schach held that Rambam does not consider it a mitzva but others such as Rav Shaul Yisraeli countered that he does not cou?t mitzvot that are included in other mitzvot or which are the bases for mitzvot (??? see Hilchot Melachim 5:6 and Rambam’s commentary on the Mishna Sota 8:6 where he obviously holds that conquest of EY is obligatory).Rav Ovadia wrote that the heter to give land is only theoretical as they really want all of EY and this is too much (begging the question of how much is not too much). As for the Chafetz Chaim, he in fact advocated serving in Goyish armies so that we would know what to do when we have our own state. In any case, almost all of the gedolim supported the establishment of the state. The leader of the Aguda in EY, Rav Y.Y. Levin,signed the Declaration of Independence and served in the first cabinet (before the idea of a deputy minister without a minister above him).
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