[1] Its primary purpose is to foster dialogue between different religious groups within the Holy Land (specifically Jews, Muslims, Christians, Druze and Baháʼís).

Founded in the summer of 2001[2] nine months after the beginning of the Second Intifada[3] the newly formed IEA set itself to the task of building and strengthening a grassroots interfaith movement for peace, justice, and sustainability in the Holy Land and in the Middle East.

The work of the first and second circles, according to IEA's organizers, aids the work of the third circle – the Middle East region – where the IEA has been a major founder in establishing the Middle East Abrahamic Forum, along with similar organizations from Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Tunisia and Turkey.

The IEA facilitates interfaith encounters through three program formats: inter-religious study sessions, multi-day conferences, and desert seminars.

The Jerusalem programs of the IEA function as part of the Partner Cities Network of the Council for a Parliament of the World's Religions and the Goldin Institute.