A woman stabbed a Jewish man in a new knife attack in Jerusalem's Old City on Wednesday before being shot and seriously wounded by her victim, Israeli police said.

There was no immediate word on the identity of the assailant but police spokeswoman Luba Samri said the 35-year-old victim was armed and managed to draw his gun when she stabbed him in the back.

It came just days after two Israelis were killed in a knife and gun attack in the Old City that prompted a temporary ban on Palestinians other than residents, business owners and schoolchildren entering the district.