President Barack Obama has said, the pace of Israeli settlements in the Middle East has gotten so substantial that it has become harder to imagine an effective Palestinian state.<br/><br/>In his final interview to a private channel as the President of the United States, Mr. Obama said, the increase in settlement building will have long-term consequences for peace and security in the region.<br/><br/>Responding to questions on the recent US abstention from a UN Security Council vote on Israel, the outgoing US President said, Washington has defended Israel consistently in every imaginable way but allowing an ongoing conflict between Israelis and Palestinians that could get worse over time is a problem.<br/><br/>Mr. Obama said settlements are a contributing factor to the inability to solve that problem.