Rainbow 'pride' flag (file)
Rainbow 'pride' flag (file)Gili Yaari/Flash90

A rainbow painted on the separation fence between Jewish areas of Judea-Samaria and those ruled by the Palestinian Authority (PA) has caused controversy, the Associated Press reports Wednesday - after some confusion over why it was painted there. 

Artist Khaled Jarrar told the outlet the mural was meant to boost the visibility of the "Palestinian cause" in light of the successes of the campaign to have homosexual marriage deemed legal under the US Supreme Court.

After the ruling, the rainbow symbol became ubiquitous and has gained high visibility - especially online. 

Jarrar's efforts sparked a torrent of angry responses from Palestinian Arabs, however, as many deemed it to condone homosexuality, which is forbidden by Islam and not tolerated. Activists later whitewashed the mural. 

"[This] reflects the absence of tolerance, and freedoms in the Palestinian society," Jarrar angrily told reporters. "People don't accept different thinking in our society."