AMSTERDAM (JTA) — The mayor of Amsterdam plans to retain his post after he lost a bid to become Holland's first Jewish prime minister.

Job Cohen's Labor Party came in second in the Jan. 21 national elections, winning 42 of the 150 seats in Parliament. The Christian Democrats won 44 seats, ensuring that Jan Peter Balkenende will remain prime minister for a second term.

The biggest loser in the polls was the anti-immigrant Pim Fortuyn's List, named for the popular right-wing politician murdered last year, just days before elections.

Cartoon depicts Sharon eating baby

LONDON (JTA) — The Israeli Embassy in London sent a letter of protest to The Independent after the newspaper ran a cartoon depicting Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon biting the flesh of a Palestinian baby.

In the cartoon, which appeared as Britain marked Holocaust Remembrance Day on Monday, Sharon says, "What's wrong? Have you never seen a politician kissing a baby?"

The embassy lambasted the newspaper for reviving the ancient blood libel against Jews. Embassy official Shuli Davidovich said the cartoon was reminiscent of images in the Nazi newspaper Der Sturmer.