Lebanese psychic predicts difficult 2023 for Saudi Crown Prince MbS

A high-profile Lebanese psychic has stirred controversy after predicting a prickly 2023 for Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman.

Appearing on a television show marking the arrival of the new year, Michel Hayek said that the prince, commonly known by the acronym MbS, would in 2023 launch a "pre-emptive uprising" to block developments related to the case of Jamal Khashoggi, a dissident and journalist killed in 2018 at the Saudi consulate in Istanbul.

Nobody has yet been charged in relation to Khashoggi's murder.

Hayek suggested MbS would become almost unrecognisable from his current self by year's end.

"A lot of people won’t be able to differentiate between the original Mohamed bin Salman and a replicated copy of Mohamed bin Salman," Hayek cryptically predicted, adding that the prince would be unveiling a "new look".

Hayek also said news of an attempt to overthrow the monarchy would leak, and that the Saudi royal family would suffer sadness this year.

توقعات #ميشيل_حايك بما يخص الشأن السعودي 🇸🇦🇸🇦🇸🇦 pic.twitter.com/mU7fmtmgzP

— نجمك (@NajmkArt) January 1, 2023

The psychic's broadcasted words sparked anger in some on social media, who asked that Hayek not be granted airtime for speculation.

تجيه ورقه من تحت الطاوله يقراها.. بطلوا ضحك على الناس #ميشيل_حايك

— مهتم (@WR9pf) January 1, 2023

"Stop mocking other people," Twitter user Mohtem wrote.

"I don’t know what he wants and I don’t know who are the stupid ones who believe him," Twitter user Nawaf said.

⁩يبربر يبربر وماصدق ابد ولا يقول اشياء صارت وخلصت ، مدري وش يبي ومدري من الغبي اللي يصدقه ، يعني السعودية لها سنين وهي مطلقة السعودية الخضراء وبالأخير يجيك ذا الغبي يقول السعودية بتصير خضراء 😂😂
⁧#ميشيل_حايك⁩ pic.twitter.com/SUHyjtTx2L

— نواف (@nawaf6522) January 1, 2023

Saudi media personality Mansour al-Daban said he did not believe the words of the psychic, his tweet accompanied by a GIF from the genie from the Disney version of Aladdin.

بالمناسبة توقعات معلم الشاورما #ميشيل_حايك الخاصة بالسعودية 2022.. ماصدقت ولا واحدة‼️ pic.twitter.com/XvnKzRIxUA

— منصور الضبعان (@mansour_daban) January 2, 2023

Others suggested that they did not find Hayek's predictions to be too far-fetched.

"I saw the words Michel Hayek and felt that there was nothing strange," Twitter user Rouqi wrote.