ICAHD is a non-violent, direct-action group originally established to oppose and resist Israeli demolition of Palestinian houses in the Occupied Territories. Their areas of activities also focus on:
- land expropriation
- settlement expansion
- by-pass road construction
- policies of "closure" and "separation,"
- the wholesale uprooting of fruit and olive trees and more.
ICAHD action includes:
- Resisting the demolition of Palestinian homes by physically blocking bulldozers sent to demolish homes and mobilizing Israelis and Palestinians to rebuild these homes as acts of resistance. This latter has proved effective as a means of raising awareness of the workings of the Occupation and is an effective vehicle of grassroots peace-making.
- Disseminating information and networking using their familiarity with realities "on the ground" gives ICAHD added credibility when dealing with diplomats, fact-finding missions, the public and the media. ICAHD works closely with other peace and human rights organizations in Israel, in Palestine and internationally on campaigns to end the Occupation and secure a peace for all. ICAHD also conducts informational tours of the Occupied Territories from a critical peace perspective, sends speakers on informational tours and participates in international conferences and gatherings.
- Providing strategic practical support to Palestinian families and communities. ICAHD aids Palestinians in filing police claims, in dealing with the Israeli authorities, in arranging and subsidizing legal assistance, and in general coping with the traumas and tribulations of life under Occupation. This gives ICAHD an insight into the internal workings of the Occupation, which is then conveyed to the broader public. ICAHD also cooperates with other human rights organizations to present legal challenges to Israeli actions and policies in the Occupied Territories.