[2] The foundation works to achieve its goals by tourism, education, archaeological excavations and obtaining homes in the area to establish a Jewish presence.

Critics argue that the foundation's archaeological excavations are often carried out with a political agenda, aiming to assert Jewish historical claims over the area at the expense of Palestinian residents.

[6] The foundation was founded in 1986 by David Be'eri, a former deputy commander of Duvdevan Unit, with the intention to purchase the former Meyuchas family home and other properties in the city.

[11] To expand tourist activity, the foundation created a massive marketing campaign which led to a sharp increase in the number of visitors in recent years.

[8] In December 2008 excavations funded by the foundation found a large hoard of over 250 gold coins, dated to around the seventh century near the end of the Byzantine period.

[16] The foundation also funded excavation of a house the archaeologists suspect belonged to Helena of Adiabene, a fourth-century mansion,[4][17] and an ancient water tunnel.

In 2005 the Ir David Foundation joined a Bar Ilan University and the National Parks Authority, Temple Mount Sifting Project, where volunteers and professionals recover these artifacts.

Critics accuse the foundation of methodically attempting to "Judaicize" the City of David / Silwan area by enhancing Jewish claims and presence at the expense of local Palestinians.

[20] In December 2011, joint activities between the Elad Association and the Jewish National Fund in Israel (JNF-KKL) led to Seth Morrison's resignation from the board of JNF-USA, the JNF's arm in the United States.

Morrison resigned in protest at the decision by Himnuta, a subsidiary of JNF-KKL, to launch eviction proceedings against the Sumarin family, who lived in the Silwan neighborhood of East Jerusalem.

Morrison said that the expulsion of the Sumarin family was a violation of human rights, and part of the systematic transfer of Palestinian property to ideological settlers who wish to put facts on the ground that hinder a lasting peace agreement.

A campaign against the eviction was launched by T'ruah (then known as Rabbis for Human Rights), and by the Sheikh Jarrah Solidarity Movement,[35] and in the United Kingdom by the Jewish organization Yachad.