You also don't strike first usually. That a paladin struck you before in the past does not forever grant you the right to attack him on sight every time. The general notion should just be to walk away from them (unless you're at war, or some other special circumstance applies)
Now, if the paladin has been relentlessly hounding you all log in, you evade him and go to some random area, then see him coming for you there, by all means, you can infer he is there to attack you and can probably initiate without reprisal.
However, if you log in, go to eastern and see a pally, you don't attack first, you ignore him.
The focus of the war on magic takes priority.
Plus, it's the fort. Even with the first strike, they usually die :)

Most fort people are smart enough to come into the village to fight evil villagers too. It's pretty easy to have a hands off relationship as an evil with the fort, especially after you kill them a time or two for coming after you. You can't just frag the whole fort cause you're a duerg villager and you assume they would attack you when they see you though, you'll be booted pretty fast.