Motro: how to account for colorblindness?

The Israeli-Palestinian conflict frequently causes tempers to flare both in casual conversation and, as Motro’s article points out, in more diplomatic contexts. Thanks in part to my own lack of detailed knowledge about the conflict, I found parts of this article difficult to follow. In particular, the illegibility of the ARIJ Oslo II map (page 48) and its legend hampered my understanding of the deficiencies of that map’s design. (I recognize this ironically underscores her point about how poor design leads to misunderstanding.) On the other hand, I appreciated the clear examples of some of the methods — coloring, cropping, etc — that can be used to create confusion, either through intention or incompetence.

It’s clear that Motro’s goal is to see an agreement between Israel and Palestine, and that she views well-designed maps as a potential straw that could “tip the balance in favor of peace” (page 50). The design choices in the Motro/Corum Geneva Map (page 50) reflect that goal; clean lines and tranquil colors create a calming atmosphere and make peace seem like a simple solution. One thing Motro did not address, however, was what precautions need to be taken to prevent confusing colorblind viewers. I know about red/green color blindness, but wonder whether the combination of blue and green in the Motro/Corum Geneva map or the various shades of green in the Motro/Corum Oslo II map (page 49) would be difficult for many viewers to differentiate.