“Muslim views of the United States as domineering and hostile reflect relentless local reporting on Iraq, Palestine, and purported negative American attitudes toward Muslims, along with ignorance of U.S. aid programs to the region and U.S. support for regional reform.”

Council on Foreign Relations press release, 18 May 2005

So, nothing to do with the US invasions of Afghanistan and Iraq, then, or the Bush administration’s enthusiastic support for Ariel Sharon. Just a product of misunderstanding and failure of communication.