No it isn't. Islamics hate the freedom of others to do whatever isn't written in their own little Book Of Hate, the Koran. They have been gunning against everyone else for 14 centuries.
Why numbskulls like Rick Steves thinks it's about Palestinian security, US military presence or control of their own resources (oil, mostly) is historically silly and shallow. Those excuses go back, at the most, six decades. That leaves out the other excuses for a lot of centuries!
Islam is in a war to change the entire planet into the House Of Islam. It's that simple. And that chilling.
Steves has been looking at beautiful but superficial scenery for so long he can't see what the malignancy going on behind the scenes. He is better off sticking to something he knows best - the cheapest deals on European hostels!
Islam means SUBMISSION!!! SUB ...SUB.....submission being under someone's thumb....it does NOT stand for freedom! Stevie is an idiot.