Jerusalem - Israeli police questioned caretaker Prime Minister Ehud Olmert Friday for the 10th time in recent months on corruption suspicions.

Police arrived at Olmert's Jerusalem residence in the morning and probed him for 2.5 hours, police spokesman Micky Rosenfeld said.

He said fraud detectives questioned him on suspicions that he funneled some 7.67 million Israeli shekels (now about 2 million US dollars) to businesses run by a friend in his Likud party when he was trade and industry minister between 2003 and 2006.

They also questioned him on suspicions that he made political appointments in Israel's Business Authority when he held the same post.

Last week, Olmert was questioned on another affair, in which he is suspected of double-billing travel expenses as a minister and using the surplus for family holidays.

Police have already recommended that the prime minister be indicted for that affair, but they were asked by prosecutors to gather additional evidence. They have also recommended an indictment on another major affair, "the money envelopes," in which Olmert, 62, allegedly accepted tens of thousands of US dollars from businessman and fundraiser, Morris Talansky, much of it in cash.

While Olmert says the donations covered legitimate travel expenses and election campaigning, police suspect he helped promote Talansky's business interests.

A fifth affair involving suspicions that Olmert bought his Jerusalem house for well below the market price in return for helping his contractor obtain building permits is also still being investigated.

Olmert resigned in late September to fight the corruption allegations, but he continues to lead the country at the head of a transitional cabinet, which will be in place until a new government is formed after early elections on February 10. (dpa)