A Jewish teacher has been stabbed in Marseille by three people claiming to support Islamic State.

The man, who teaches at a Jewish school in the southern French city  was approached in the street by three people on scooters, one of them wearing an ISIS t-shirt.

"The three people insulted, threatened and then stabbed their victim in the arm and leg. They were interrupted by the arrival of a car and fled," Marseilles prosecutor Brice Robin said.

The attack took place at the Yavne cultural centre in the north of the city, which functions as both a school and synagogue.

The victim, who was wearing a kippah, was targeted as he was leaving the building.

One of the attackers is reported to have shown the victim a picture on his mobile phone of Mohamed Merah, an Islamist militant who killed seven people, targeting French soldiers and Jewish civilians, in a series of attacks in southern France in 2012.

Although the victim suffered three knife wounds and was taken to hospital, his life was not in danger.

The attack comes just days after last Friday's terror attacks in Paris in which 129 people were killed and over 350 were injured.

Responsibility for the attacks was claimed by the Islamic State jihadist group.