Illed, Some Wounded in Palestine Blasts; Nathanya Curfew Eased As Hunt Nears End

At least one soldier was killed and several (##)ed tonight in almost simultaneous explosions in the northern part of the country.

The blasts came as thousands of troops neared the end of a systematic comb(##) of occupied Nathanya without uncovering arms or the two kidnapped Britons, whose (##)tion precipitated the imposition of military rule. Only four suspects, including (##)oman, are being detained. All the others arrested yesterday have been released.

The house curfew, which had been in force since Monday night, was lifted to(##) between the hours of 4 p.m. and 7 p.m. to allow food purchases. As of tomorrow, curfew will be confined to the hours of 7 p.m. to 5 a.m. No vehicles may cir(##)te through the town at any time without special passes.

An Irgun broadcast tonight says that the Haganah is not cooperating with the (##) in Nathanya. However, it attacks Mayor Oved Ben Ami as a “quisling,” adding : him not forget he is not in the Warsaw Ghetto or any other European ghetto.” A (##)ist broadcast earlier attacked the U.N. inquiry committee as “pro-British,” and that for this reason it will be impossible to maintain a truce until after the (##)ittee makes its report.

An official communique said that a military truck had been blown up on the (##)ch Tikvah road, killing one soldier and injuring another. Two civilians were (##)sted nearby. A mine blasted a military car north of Hadera, causing no casual(##). A jeep hit a mine on the Lydda-Petach Tikvah road, and several soldiers were (##)ded.

An earlier communique reported the killing of a Jewish supernumerary police(##) who was on duty near a power station in Tel Aviv. He was shot down by fire from (##)utomatic gun operated by unknown assailants, who hid in adjoining orange groves.

Jewish observers said that the government’s announcement that one top and “second grade” terrorists had been discovered in Nathanya “sounded strange,” (##)ce military rule had been expected for 36 hours, during which time there was ample (##)ortunity for any person to leave the town. They also point out that continuation the night curfew, although almost the entire city has been searched, indicates (##)arly that martial law was imposed as a punitive measure, rather than to facilitate capture of the kidnappers.