Three Generations
Photo by Alexandra Boulat/VII
Makram El-Arja, owner of the Everest Hotel and Restaurant, beneath a picture of his father. El-Arja’s grandfather founded the business in 1944.
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A Dusty Peak
Photo by Alexandra Boulat/VII
The Everest sits atop the highest hill in Beit Jala, outside of Bethlehem. In recent months, some patrons say, it has become more difficult to reach as roads have changed.
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Doing Business
Photo by Alexandra Boulat/VII
A business meeting at the Everest: The Palestinian owner of a restaurant in Bethlehem and representatives of Bethlehem University purchase kitchen equipment from an Israeli salesman.
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Still Serving
Photo by Alexandra Boulat/VII
When it opened in the 1940s, the Everest was the first West Bank hotel to offer a restaurant as well as private-party rooms.
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Half-Empty Hotel
Photo by Alexandra Boulat/VII
In the 1990s, before the second intifada, the 20-room hotel was operating at full capacity. Today, it is usually less than half full.
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Insecurity Wall
Photo by Alexandra Boulat/VII
Makram El-Arja on the roof of the Everest. In the background, construction progresses on the barrier between Israel and the West Bank.
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Faces of Conflict
Photo by Alexandra Boulat/VII
Large portions of the 10- to 26-foot-high wall have already been built near the Everest, including this stretch in Bethlehem.
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Left Behind
Photo by Alexandra Boulat/VII
The Everest's future is uncertain. Some family members have already departed for California, and the establishment may eventually be shuttered.
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